J.P. Morgan today announced its funding in support of The Nature Conservancy-led Greater Cape Town Water Fund (GCTWF) to remove invasive plants in priority source water areas in the Greater Cape Town region. GCTWF brings together a diverse coalition of public and private sector partners to invest in watershed restoration activities that will yield the greatest benefit for … [Read more...]
Homegrown technology provides water to communities in need
The Vumela Fund, established by FNB Business and Edge Growth, today announced a new investment in Kusini Water, a cleantech enterprise that provides clean drinking water to local communities and corporates by manufacturing mobile, solar-powered water purification systems made from locally sourced macadamia nut shells and nanotechnology. The investment will enable Kusini … [Read more...]
Hydropower not a solution to climate change
300 organizations from 69 countries have launched a Rivers for Climate Global Declaration calling on governments and leaders attending COP26 to protect river ecosystems and stop using scarce climate funds to finance false climate solutions such as hydropower. Representing the views of civil society, peoples movements, Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, scientists, and … [Read more...]
Biodiversity loss driven by world’s largest dam builders
International Rivers has published a report calling attention to the need for the world’s largest dam building companies to take urgent steps to address the increasing scale and severity of their biodiversity impacts. The report, Advancing Ecological Civilization?, examined the biodiversity footprint of the world’s two largest dam-builders, PowerChina and China Three Gorges … [Read more...]
Rebuilding relationships over natural resources in Darfur
Every year on 19 August, World Humanitarian Day offers the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations an opportunity to celebrate the daily work of humanitarian responders worldwide and recognize their dedication to helping others. World Humanitarian Day also gives us pause to reflect on how to continue improving the humanitarian response to climate change and complex … [Read more...]
Is SA doing enough to avert a water crisis?
As South Africa battles the third wave of Covid-19 vaccinations and amidst the chaos, destruction and looting that has taken place in parts of South Africa in recent weeks it’s easy to forget another looming catastrophe: a water crisis with potentially devastating consequences. In the Eastern Cape dam levels are perilously low after a multi-year drought with dams servicing … [Read more...]
Business owner recognised for her recycling impact
Loretta Waterboer, the winner of the PETCO Awards Top Woman in Recycling, 2021 is a wonderful and passionate role model for female leadership in our industry, running her own business, LW Recycling and Trade, and partnering with the Mosselbank River Conservation Trust (MRCT) for a bigger impact in her community. When MRCT environmental officer Danielle Cronje started working … [Read more...]
Better recycling needed to protect limited water resources
Water, as we know, is a limited resource that is essential for all life on this planet. This makes it all the more astounding that so many of us simply take it for granted, especially in a semi-arid country like South Africa. This should clearly demonstrate that it is vital that the nation as a whole changes the value it places on this life-giving resource. World Water Day … [Read more...]
SA hake fishery celebrates fourth certification for seafood sustainability
Supported by government, industry and market stakeholders, the SA hake trawl fishery’s MSC status places it amongst the best managed fisheries in the world – helping to maintain its international market presence and deliver long-term socio-economic benefits to the South African people. The fishery is celebrating 16 years of MSC certification following the announcement of its … [Read more...]
Successful fishing line bin project expands its footprint
South Africa’s success with preventing discarded fishing line from ending up in the oceans or on beaches by using fishing line bins made from off-cuts of PVC pipe, is resulting in more than 77 new bins being manufactured for installation at beaches around the country ahead of next month's National Water Week campaign. These fishing line bins stand 60 cm high and are erected … [Read more...]
Water decisions that build climate resilience in Africa
A climate resilient project in Zambia supported by the African Development Bank and Climate Investment Funds (CIF) has won the Water ChangeMaker People’s Choice Award-Africa. The Strengthening Climate Resilience in the Kafue Sub-basin Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (SCRiKA) beat two other finalists identified by an expert jury to win first prize with roughly 7,000 … [Read more...]
Report details the growing threat of ageing dams
By 2050, most people on Earth will live downstream of tens of thousands of large dams built in the 20th century, many of them already operating at or beyond their design life, according to a UN University analysis. The report, Ageing water infrastructure: An emerging global risk, by UNU's Canadian-based Institute for Water, Environment and Health, says most of the 58,700 … [Read more...]
EU Sustainable Taxonomy must be rooted in climate science
The global climate strikes have consistently made a simple demand: listen to the science. We agree. Just as experts and evidence have been key assets in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, so too must they, and not sectoral interests, determine our policies to fight the climate crisis. WWF Central and Eastern Europe, along with a coalition of NGOs, think-tanks, experts and … [Read more...]
