TUESDAY,
17 OCTOBER 2006: “There is a need to develop a
sustainable approach to skills development in
air quality management”, delegates to the 1st
Annual Air Quality Governance Lekgotla proclaimed
unanimously in East London today, Tuesday, 17
October 2006.
Delegates drawn from all spheres
of government including air quality practitioners,
environmental inspectors and other senior government
officials in the field converged in East London
for a bosberaad to deliberate on issues of air
quality management and to share best practice
on issues like Atmospheric Emission Licensing,
Air quality management plans across all spheres,
air quality management training challenges and
inter institutional initiatives.
Talking about the need to build
and strengthen the skills profile in air quality
management, Mr. Peter Lukey, Chief Director in
air quality management at the department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism called for greater collaboration
and diverse approaches in skills development.
“Tertiary institutes as societal organisations
entrusted with Sustainable knowledge generation
and transmission and in-service training should
compliment training provided by Universities and
technikons” he said.
A strong voice also emerged
for partnerships in skills development.
‘We need to further explore the issue of partnerships
with other universities, including the small universities,
government, private sector, civil society etc”
said Peter Lukey. “Individuals should continually
invest in their own professional development by
joining appropriate local technical/professional
organisations for example the National Association
for Clean Air (NACA)” added Mr Lukey.
The Lekgotla also dealt at length
with matters relating to structures, systems and
strategies in air quality management in which
issues involving policy and process and organisational
arrangements were dealt with. There was agreement
that “there is not, and cannot be, an ideal organisational
structure for air quality governance at provincial
and local spheres”. Delegates also acknowledged
the important need for air quality management
to be included in the Integrated Development Plans
“if the municipality is to have any chance of
receiving support and funding for air quality
management”.
Other important air quality
matters that were discussed in the Lekgotla include
presentations on the proposed South African Air
Quality Information System, draft policy on market
based instruments to support environmental fiscal
reform, proposed licence fees calculator and protocol
and atmospheric user charges.
In closing the Lekgotla, the
Chief Operating Officer of the Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism, Ms. Nosipho Jezile reminded
delegates that “the effective implementation of
the Air Quality Act was an endeavour that will
require all our commitment in the long-term”.
The COO said that a number of
presentations that were made clearly showed that
there is a clear case for the country investing
in air quality management, “including those dealing
with the results of the SAWS-DEAT aerial survey
and the NEDLAC study on the costs of air pollution
associated with fossil fuel combustion”.
These results, she said, show
that our slogan “an investment in air quality
management is an investment in public health”
is completely appropriate and that our work is
not only important but urgent.
She ended by committing the
department to supporting all efforts to take air
quality related programmes forward. “In this regard
the recommendations from this conference will
be used as an input into DEAT’s own planning process”
she said.
Issued by the Chief Directorate: Communications
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Call For Sustainable Skills
Development In Air Quality Management
TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 2006: “There is a need to
develop a sustainable approach to skills development
in air quality management”, delegates to the 1st
Annual Air Quality Governance Lekgotla proclaimed
unanimously in East London today, Tuesday, 17
October 2006.
Delegates drawn from all spheres
of government including air quality practitioners,
environmental inspectors and other senior government
officials in the field converged in East London
for a bosberaad to deliberate on issues of air
quality management and to share best practice
on issues like Atmospheric Emission Licensing,
Air quality management plans across all spheres,
air quality management training challenges and
inter institutional initiatives.
Talking about the need to build
and strengthen the skills profile in air quality
management, Mr. Peter Lukey, Chief Director in
air quality management at the department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism called for greater collaboration
and diverse approaches in skills development.
“Tertiary institutes as societal organisations
entrusted with Sustainable knowledge generation
and transmission and in-service training should
compliment training provided by Universities and
technikons” he said.
A strong voice also emerged
for partnerships in skills development.
‘We need to further explore the issue of partnerships
with other universities, including the small universities,
government, private sector, civil society etc”
said Peter Lukey. “Individuals should continually
invest in their own professional development by
joining appropriate local technical/professional
organisations for example the National Association
for Clean Air (NACA)” added Mr Lukey.
The Lekgotla also dealt at length
with matters relating to structures, systems and
strategies in air quality management in which
issues involving policy and process and organisational
arrangements were dealt with. There was agreement
that “there is not, and cannot be, an ideal organisational
structure for air quality governance at provincial
and local spheres”. Delegates also acknowledged
the important need for air quality management
to be included in the Integrated Development Plans
“if the municipality is to have any chance of
receiving support and funding for air quality
management”.
Other important air quality
matters that were discussed in the Lekgotla include
presentations on the proposed South African Air
Quality Information System, draft policy on market
based instruments to support environmental fiscal
reform, proposed licence fees calculator and protocol
and atmospheric user charges.
In closing the Lekgotla, the
Chief Operating Officer of the Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism, Ms. Nosipho Jezile reminded
delegates that “the effective implementation of
the Air Quality Act was an endeavour that will
require all our commitment in the long-term”.
The COO said that a number of
presentations that were made clearly showed that
there is a clear case for the country investing
in air quality management, “including those dealing
with the results of the SAWS-DEAT aerial survey
and the NEDLAC study on the costs of air pollution
associated with fossil fuel combustion”.
These results, she said, show
that our slogan “an investment in air quality
management is an investment in public health”
is completely appropriate and that our work is
not only important but urgent.
She ended by committing the
department to supporting all efforts to take air
quality related programmes forward. “In this regard
the recommendations from this conference will
be used as an input into DEAT’s own planning process”
she said.
Mava Scott
