Create your own Christmas tradition I was walking in the mall with my son who noticed all the Christmas trees when I realized that I do not know why we have Christmas trees. Which made me wonder about the Christmas tradition and what it has become; surely it was not meant to be this mad rush we experience every year. Therefore I decided to explore Christmas knowing that as a … [Read more...]
An African COP to prevent a global flop
As the first week of negotiations at the so-called “African COP 17” drew to an end and the final week begins, it is perhaps a poignant time to ask: What could possibly be meant by calling COP 17 “an African” COP? It’s becoming clearer as the negotiations draw on that Africa can play an important role in pushing the negotiations forward, and that many of their proposals can … [Read more...]
COP17: Media and Climate Change
On Monday the 5th of December MediaClimate held a seminar titled “Media meets climate: A problem or a solution for social movements” at the Centre for Civil Society, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard campus. MediaClimate is an international research group that looks at media coverage of the annual UN climate summits.The facilitator of the seminar Andreas Ytterstad … [Read more...]
Cop17: Anti-Coal Seminar
Friday, the 2nd of December Earth Life Africa held an anti-coal seminar at the Centre for Civil Society, University of KwaZulu-Natal (Howard campus). The seminar titled “Anti-Coal Movements in Germany, South Africa and beyond?” highlighted many of the negative consequences associated with coal energy, and some of the concerns and desires in terms of climate change and … [Read more...]
LED energy-saving streetlights showcased in Durban
New street lighting in Durban represents good luminance and uniformity in LED lighting; will create a more livable city with safer roads, increased security and a comfortable outdoor environment. Yesterday Philips unveiled a new state of the art LED street lighting installation that offers a sustainable lighting solution for the citizens of Durban. The new lighting consists … [Read more...]
SA launches renewable energy initiative
South Africa and European Union nations earlier this week announced a massive renewable energy initative, and this was launched in Durban on Wednesday. The South African Renewables Initiative (SARi) is in a bid to scale up and secure long-term funding to enable the growth of the renewable energy industry in South Africa. Green technology, skills and money are expected to … [Read more...]
COP17: Financing Climate Justice
The largest ever financial vehicle for the distribution of climate justice is soon to be on the negotiating table at COP 17. International delegates at COP 17 are gearing up to discuss the Green Climate Fund, which requests of developed countries to provide developing countries with “scaled up, predictable, new and additional, and adequate funding” to deal with climate change. … [Read more...]
COP17: Working Together, Losing Tomorrow Today?
As countries such as the US, Canada, Russia and Japan push to delay agreement to a legally binding framework for climate change to 2020 - a delay which will likely push our ability to reduce climate change to 2 degrees Celsius out of our hands – it is either sadly ironic or apt (I can’t decide) that COP17 commemorated Youth and Future Generations Day today. The focus of many of … [Read more...]
COP17’s SEA Pledge crusade
Oh behalf of Sustainable Seas Trust I'd like to invite you to be a part of the SEA Pledge Action Day! SEA Pledge is a project of SST that will be launched at COP17 in Durban to promote awareness and investment in marine research and conservation. Given your commitment to communicating green initiatives throughout South Africa, Sustainable Seas Trust urges you, your … [Read more...]
COP17: COPpuccino videos
COP17: The Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership (CPSL) is running a series of high-level briefings at their Oasis of Fresh Thinking with people who will be commenting on the negotiations as they unfold and giving a business perspective on the leadership challenges for businesses in the sustainability arena. Among others, there are videos of Christiana Figueres - … [Read more...]
Crossways: SA’s first town of the future
A start has been made with construction of South Africa’s first “green” town that in time is expected to operate largely independently of the national energy grid. It will also be the first rural town fully integrated with an existing agricultural component, in this case a professionally run dairy farm, and one in which future food security has formed an important component of … [Read more...]
Carbon markets will be a disaster for Africa
South African president Jacob Zuma has declared his intention to have a decision on Agriculture at the UN COP17 climate negotiations in Durban; while the World Bank is promoting so-called “Climate Smart Agriculture” and carbon offsets as the future of African agriculture and climate solutions. But civil society groups in Durban are concerned that this vision for African … [Read more...]
Improving water access, quality & quantity
Africa’s first carbon-neutral bank, continued to demonstrate its commitment to water sustainability as a key participant and host of the Water Roundtable side event at the COP 17. Recognising that water is South Africa’s scarcest resource and one that could be seriously affected by climate change, the Nedbank Group actively promotes and supports a wide-ranging water … [Read more...]
