When the Conference of the Parties meets in Scotland this November for COP26 – assuming that they will, in some form or fashion – all eyes will be on the ambition levels of the revised national climate plans that are a part of the Paris Agreement. This meeting of the annual climate conference is where countries are being asked to bring forward ambitious 2030 emissions … [Read more...]
Make-a-Difference Week beach cleanup a great success
The 5 to 13 June 2021 was Make-a-Difference Week, a worldwide effort to reduce negative environmental impacts. The Cape Town Environmental Education Trust (CTEET) team kicked off the nine-day commitment with a beach cleanup from Sunrise Beach to Muizenberg on World Environment Day, which was also the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. There was … [Read more...]
SA’s revised climate plans are not ambitious enough
Life After Coal Campaign partners Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), groundWork and Earthlife Africa, along with several civil society groups, have submitted comments on South Africa’s draft updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) – the commitment to tackle climate change under the Paris Agreement. In written arguments submitted on 30 April 2021, ahead of … [Read more...]
Restoring natural landscapes through waste clean-ups
Since the start of the pandemic, South Africa has seen a significant increase in the volumes of medical waste and discarded personal protective equipment (PPE). While most parts of the country receive an adequate waste management service to discard medical waste and used PPE, some towns and communities are afflicted with piles of this waste stream from illegal dumping. “It … [Read more...]
Polluters are slowing down Africa’s progress
The world has no business investing in new fossil fuel developments in our race to the 1.5°C pathway. The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) newly released Net Zero by 2050 roadmap has closed the door on new fossil fuel extraction, and fossil fuel giants have lost their claim to fame of new oil and gas reserves being aligned with the Paris Agreement. It’s a small victory … [Read more...]
Transition to renewable energy urgently needed
Yesterday morning, just before the crack of dawn, Earthlife Africa members joined residents of Lephalale in Limpopo in a small demonstration to create awareness of the threats from coal, and the impact this fossil fuel is having on communities in the area. Lephalale residents say, “We are very concerned about the coal industries in our region and how it affects us. Coal … [Read more...]
Methane emissions urgently need to be reduced
A Global Methane Assessment released today by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) shows that human-caused methane emissions can be reduced by up to 45 per cent this decade. Such reductions would avoid nearly 0.3°C of global warming by 2045 and would be consistent with keeping the Paris Climate Agreement’s goal to limit … [Read more...]
Lessons learned during landmark SA nuclear court case
On Monday 26 April, it will be four years since the Western Cape High Court found the government’s R1-trillion nuclear deal and associated energy procurement processes to be “illegal and unconstitutional”. South Africa was spared from a corrupt deal under the Zuma government that would have bankrupted the country. This day also marks 35-years since the Chernobyl nuclear … [Read more...]
SA youth picket in Joburg for Earth Day
On Earth Day 2021, the Climate Justice Action Group (CJAG) held a picket demonstration outside Gauteng’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) to call attention to the ongoing socio-environmental injustices that continue in South Africa. CJAG is a youth-based group facilitated by driven by Earthlife Africa Johannesburg to promote awareness of climate justice … [Read more...]
Local polymer producer joins Operation Clean Sweep
One of Africa’s leading polymer producers and marketers has officially signed the Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS) pledge. According to Gert Claasen, Technology and Innovation Executive at Safripol, the OCS pledge firmly aligns with their recently launched “Let’s Plastic Responsibly” campaign, which encourages the responsible use of plastics. “From a Safripol perspective, it … [Read more...]
SA researchers shortlisted in international forestry research award
Three South African researchers have made it to the global shortlist of the Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation Awards. They were selected from 14 candidates in the South African round. The awards, launched in 2016 by the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA), aim to recognise, celebrate and promote innovations being developed in the global … [Read more...]
Developing new ideas for reducing plastic pollution
Municipality, business and community are collaborating to clean up the environment and get plastic waste out of the rivers and ocean and back into the value chain. Minster of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, the Honourable Mrs Creecy, launched the use of a Beach Rake and the Inkwazi Isu on 19 September at Toti Main Beach in KwaZulu Natal. Inkwazi Isu (Fisheagle … [Read more...]
Clarity needed on safety of ‘plugged’ deep sea oil well
Following the announcement, last week, by oil and gas giant Total that it has “demobilised its Deepsea Stavanger drill rig along with all support vessels, after concluding its drilling activities on the exploration well Luiperd-1X in Block 11B/12B on 23 November 2020”, the Green Connection’s Neville Van Rooy says he is concerned about who will be held responsible for any … [Read more...]
