08
June 2008 - Media Statement - Department
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism - SUNDAY,
08 JUNE 2008: Today, 8 June 2008 is World
Oceans Day. World Oceans Day, which was
designated in 1992 at the Earth Summit in
Rio de Janeiro, provides us with an opportunity
to celebrate the oceans of our world and
appreciate the benefits we derive there
from.
This year’s theme HELPING
OUR CLIMATE, HELPING OUR OCEANS seeks to
draw attention to the growing impact of
climate change on our oceans.
Higher water temperatures,
rising sea levels, escalating ocean acidity
are all indicators of a changing climate
which dramatically increase the conservation
challenges.
Covering more than 70
percent of the earth’s surface, oceans are
some of the most productive, yet threatened
natural systems in the world. The demands
of modern society are damaging marine ecosystems
and fast depleting ocean and coastal resources.
Increasing use of marine
resources and accelerating coastal developments
are posing huge challenges in the management
to ensure the sustainability of these resources.
In South Africa we have seen the recent
adoption of the Integrated Coastal Management
Bill, a first for South Africa and the African
continent. It is widely hailed as groundbreaking,
far reaching and progressive as it presents
a comprehensive national system for planning
and managing the country’s valuable coastal
areas and resources.
Mava Scott says “Over-fishing
and destructive fishing practices are threatening
important marine resources, fishing livelihoods
and economic viabilities of coastal communities.
All over the world fish
stocks are showing signs of drastic decline.
At home we have seen the closure of the
commercial abalone fishery sector earlier
this year followed rapid decline of the
resource due to poaching and ecological
changing. South Africa’s hakes stocks have
also showing signs of stress, as we see
fish stocks plummeting to all low levels
across the globe. In South Africa the hake
trawl fishery is the most valuable fishery
sector”.
“Robust and bold steps
are therefore required to prevent these
stocks from complete collapse. The implementation
of mitigating measures is absolutely crucial”,
he said.
Land based activities
are also impacting on the state of our oceans.
Whether in coastal areas or hundreds of
miles inland, people and industry impact
on our oceans, decreasing water quality
to the point where fish and other marine
life struggle to survive. South Africa has
completed a draft National Plan of Action
for land-based sources of marine pollution
which is in the process of finalization.
The celebration of World
Oceans Day takes place within the context
of all these environmental challenges and
as South Africans, as citizens of the global
community, we have a role to play in HELPING
OUR CLIMATE TO HELP OUR OCEANS.
As part of World Oceans
Day celebration the Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism has launched a marine
and coastal stakeholder’s publication, UMLOBI,
as a platform to encourage dialogue on marine
and coastal developments. You can download
a copy of the publication from the department
website on www.deat.gov.za
WHAT CAN WE DO?
The problems facing our oceans are complex.
But working together, we can make a difference.
The opportunity is now, while we can still
reduce the downward trend. With your help,
we can change the course for our oceans
and coasts and the people who depend on
them.
Here's how you and your
family can help:
Reduce your plastic
consumption. The most frequently collected
items during beach cleanups are made of
plastic — think reusable shopping bags,
water bottles and utensils.
Make informed seafood choices. Keep a copy
of the sustainable seafood guide with you
which indicate which species are green,
red or orange. Green meaning you can buy
these species legally, orange is that species
threatened and red meaning that these species
are collapsed therefore the selling and
or buying of such species is illegal. www.deat.gov.za
Dispose of chemicals
properly. Never pour chemicals, pharmaceuticals,
oil or paint into the drain or toilets.
Check with your municipality’s household
hazardous waste program to properly dispose
of or recycle chemicals and keep them out
of rivers and oceans.
Choose green detergents
and household cleaners—or make your own!
Besides being better for your own health,
these products are safer for the environment
since what goes down the drain can end up
in our oceans.
Get the dirt on your
beachside retreat. Before you stay in a
hotel on the coast, ask staff what happens
to their sewage and swimming pool water,
and if they source their restaurant fish
from sustainable sources.
Find out the source
of your food. Buying local, organic food
reduces your carbon footprint, supports
the local economy and reduces the amount
of pesticides and fertilizers that end up
not just in your stomach, but as run-off
in rivers and oceans, too.
Fill your yard with
indigenous species. Reducing the amount
of grass in your lawn by planting indigenous
shrubs and flower beds will provide a better
habitat for birds and other wildlife and
require far less water and fertilizer, which
can seep into the oceans.
Keep your beach visit
clean. When visiting the beach, stay off
fragile sand dunes, take your trash with
you and leave plants, birds and wildlife
for everyone to enjoy.
THE FACTS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE (Source-
www.nature.org)
FACT: Average global
temperatures increased by about half a degree
Celsius over the 20th century.
FACT: The United States contains only 5
percent of the world’s population, but contributes
22 percent of the world’s carbon emissions.
FACT: Between 20 and 25 percent of carbon
emissions come from deforestation and land
use change.
FACT: Personal cars and trucks in the United
States emit 20 percent of the United States'
carbon emissions.
FACT: Air conditioning and heating account
for almost half of electricity use in the
average home.
FACT: Climate change is linked to stronger
hurricanes, more drought and increased coral
deaths from bleaching.
FACT: Climate change is linked to an increase
in disease-carrying pests that lead to the
increased spread of diseases such as dengue
fever, malaria, lyme disease and West Nile
virus.
Mava Scott (Acting Chief Director: Communications)
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Speech for the Opening
of the Expert Session of the 12th Session
of AMCEN - Acting DG of DEAT
07 June 2008 – Speech
- Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism
Director of the African
Union Commission
Representative of the NEPAD Secretariat
Director of the United Nations Environment
Programme
Distinguished Delegates
All protocols observed
It is for me a great
honour to welcome you on behalf of the Government
of South Africa to the Sandton Convention
Centre in Sandton, Johannesburg to the 12th
Session of the African Ministerial Conference
on Environment (AMCEN)
Africa has been plagued
by rising levels of poverty and deepening
environmental degradation. It is the poorest
region of the world with the largest share
of people living on less than US $1 per
day. Almost 40% of the people in Africa
live below the poverty line and at least
one-third of Africa’s population is undernourished
with this number growing daily. It is the
only region of the world where poverty is
projected to rise during this century if
adequate measures are not urgently taken.
Of the 45 countries on the UNDP’s list of
Low Human Development Indicators, 35 are
in Africa and two-thirds of the 48 countries
included in the list of Least Developed
Countries are in Africa
The African Environment
Outlook also highlights that:
Africa is the continent
most vulnerable to climate variability and
climate change.
Our biological resources are declining rapidly
as a result of habitat loss, over-harvesting
of selected resources, and illegal activities.
Coastal and marine habitats and resources
in Africa are under threat
We have the fastest rate of deforestation
anywhere in the world. In addition to its
ecological impacts, deforestation also means
definitive loss of vital resources causing
communities to lose their livelihoods and
vital energy sources.
Lack of availability
and low quality of freshwater are the two
most limiting factors for development in
Africa, constraining food production and
industrial activities, and contributing
significantly to the burden of disease.
Degradation of soil
and of vegetation resources is largely a
result of increasing population pressures,
inequitable land access and tenure policies,
poor land management, and widespread poverty.
Africa is the region
with some of the highest rates of urbanization
in the world.
AMCEN must play the
crucial role of leading policy dialogues
and initiatives on addressing the environmental
challenges and climate change impacts in
Africa. AMCEN has given guidance in respect
of key political events related to the environment,
including multilateral environmental agreements
and must continue to do so in an amplified
manner. It has also led the process for
the development of the action plan for the
Environment Initiative of NEPAD and must
enhance its implementation. The 12th Session
of AMCEN should be used as a platform to
strengthen AMCEN’s role as the strategic
voice of Africa on African environmental
issues.
The challenges facing
delegates as we begin this 12th Session
of AMCEN is not in crafting eloquent “Declarations”
but laying the building blocks that will
put us further ahead on the path of what
was captured by our leaders namely:
“a common vision and
a firm and shared conviction, to eradicate
poverty and to place our countries, both
individually and collectively, on a path
of sustainable growth and development, and
at the same time to participate actively
in the world economy and body politic.”
There is a famous Kenyan
proverb which states: “The world was not
given to you by your parents, it was lent
to you by your children”. It is my wish
that we bear this in mind as we begin this
12th Session of AMCEN.
For those who may say
that the challenges facing Africa are just
too great I am reminded of a Malagasy proverb
which states that “People are like plants
in the wind: they bow down and rise up again”.
With these few words
I once again would like bid you all a warm
welcome and wish you every success with
the deliberations.
“Let’s make it happen.
Let’s create a better life for all our people
on the African continent.”
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Budget Vote Speech by
Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism, National Council of
Provinces, 5 June 2008
05 June 2008 – Speech
- GROWING THE ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM SECTORS
- INTRODUCTION - The temptation when broaching
a subject like the environment is to make
the mistake of thinking that our actions
are insignificant and that our environment
looks after itself. This is a short-sighted
approach. It is convenient and it is comfortable,
but it is wrong.
Today we celebrate World
Environment Day, where we celebrate and
raise awareness of our environment. The
World Environment Day slogan for 2008 is
Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND A
LOW CARBON ECONOMY
Climate change and its
impacts has become one of the biggest global
challenges that we are facing. We understand
that it would not be economically, environmentally
or politically sustainable for South Africa
to continue to grow without a carbon constraint.
Although South Africa
has contributed, and continues to contribute,
a relatively small amount to the global
greenhouse gas emissions that are the cause
of climate change, we are far from blameless.
Emissions from our coal-based electricity
production are substantial.
In my speech during
the National Assembly Budget Vote two weeks
ago, I announced the details of the Cabinet-mandated
Long Term Mitigation Scenario (LTMS) study
which will set the pathway for our long-term
climate policy and will eventually inform
a legislative, regulatory and fiscal package
that will give effect to our policy at a
mandatory level. Cabinet has noted these
findings and have mandated DEAT to bring
implementation plans back to Cabinet during
the 3rd quarter of 2008, as a first step
towards fast tracking the process of translating
our strategic options into policy directions.
TOURISM GROWTH - FINALISATION
OF BEE CODES FOR SECTOR
Chairperson, the department
of Trade and Industry approved the gazetting
of the tourism BEE Charter as a sector code,
which will make the charter legally binding
on all organs of state and those entities
wanting to do business with organs of state.
The charter will pave the way for Black
Economic Empowerment (BEE) in the tourism
industry. The date of gazetting will be
announced in due course. The public will
have 60 days to comment on it before the
Charter is finally gazetted.
The code will clear
the current uncertainty around BEE targets
in tourism, paving the way for real, measurable
transformation in the sector. The code follows
a year long process of alignment between
the Tourism BEE Charter and Government’s
Codes of Good Practice.
The fundamental difference
between the sector code and Government’s
proposed minimum codes is that in the first
five years of reporting more focus is placed
on the human factor elements, like skills
development, strategic representation, employment
equity and enterprise development. In recognising
that the industry is people driven, it was
critical to the industry to adopt this approach.
The gazetting will place
the Tourism Empowerment Council of South
Africa (TECSA) in a position to drive transformation
in tourism from a solid foundation. We will
now be able to send out clear messages about
BEE in tourism, with specific targets for
businesses of any size, timeframes as well
as reporting mechanisms.
GROWING OUR PARKS
Chair, turning to our
magnificent parks, allow me to focus on
some of our achievements over the past few
years. We have committed significant financial
resources towards the expansion of formal
protected areas, bringing the number of
national parks to 22, and the total formal
conservation estate to 4 million hectares.
Since 2004 we have declared four new Marine
Protected Areas, thus increasing the total
coastline under some form of protection
to 20%.
Through environmental
education programmes SANParks continues
to build environmentally responsible stewardship.
During the past year alone, over 110,000
learners received Environmental Interpretation
Education experiences at parks.
NATIONAL MORATORIUM
ON RHINO HORN
Chairperson, although
we have tremendous successes in protecting
and expanding our conservation areas, over
the past two years there has been a dramatic
increase in the illegal trade of rhino horn
and in the hunting of white rhino. Both
Black and White rhino are listed as threatened
or protected species and permits are required
to perform a restricted activity. The Black
rhino is listed on Appendix I of CITES and
the White rhino on Appendix II. This means
that the trade in rhino and its products
is regulated internationally to ensure sustainable
utilization of the species. This indiscriminate
illegal trade in rhino is directly linked
to organized crime and the fact that approximately
27 white rhino were poached in the Kruger
National Park during the last two years
as well as a definite increase in incidents
in other parts of the country. SANParks
has therefore stepped up the protection
of high value herbivores such as rhino,
buffalo and elephant in our Parks.
During the course of
investigating rhino horn deals, it has been
established that prospective hunters applied
for permits to hunt rhino in various provinces.
Permits for these hunts were subsequently
issued. On closer investigation it was determined
that some of these hunts never took place
and the relevant authorities were never
informed. This allowed the permit holder
to legally export illegally obtained individual
horn as hunting trophies. This occurred
as a result of all rhino hunts not being
supervised by the relevant permit issuing
authorities. In some provinces, rhino are
still on exemption permits, meaning that
the landowner does not require an individual
permit for the hunting of the rhino and
therefore does not need to inform the provincial
authority of such a hunt.
I would like to inform
members of the NCOP that all environment
MEC’s have approved DEAT’s proposal for
a national moratorium on the trade in individual
rhino horn to give Provincial and SANParks
enforcement officers a chance to ensure
that approaches and protocols for dealing
with the trade in rhino horn are consistent
and comply with biodiversity conservation
requirements. This will assist to curb the
increase in the illegal trade in rhino horns
and will hopefully discourage the poaching
of rhino in South Africa.
Chairperson, there can
be no question that without enforcement
of compliance, environmental legislation
is worth no more than the paper on which
it’s written. In this regard our Deputy
Minister will introduce the National Environmental
Laws Amendment Bill in the NCOP in two weeks
time. This Bill proposes brief, yet critical
amendments that will ensure more effective
enforcement of national environmental legislation.
GROWING OUR MARINE SECTOR
We have approved the
final policies for Boat Based Whale Watching
(“BBWW”) and White Shark Cage Diving (WSCD)
which will be gazetted on the 13th of June
2008. The gazetting will also serve as a
call for applications for the allocation
of permits during 2008.
These are fast-growing
industries that have the potential to generate
considerable socio-economic benefits for
coastal communities and operators, while
providing educational benefits for the participants.
There are currently 9 authorised BBWW operators
and 12 authorised WSCD operators that are
each restricted to operating one vessel.
We intend to increase this in the new rights
allocation process. Permits will be allocated
from Port Nolloth to Sodwana Bay in the
BBWW sector whilst the attraction of white
sharks for the purposes of cage diving and
surface viewing shall be limited to, Seal
and Dyer Island, Quoin Rock, Seal Island
in Mossel Bay and Algoa Bay in the Port
Elizabeth area.
The overall goal of
these policies is to provide a proper regulatory
framework, to grow these industries and
to advance transformation and black economic
empowerment.
Marine Aquaculture
Members are well aware
that poaching and environmental changes
have led to severe declines in the natural
abalone populations. This has led to the
closure of the wild abalone commercial fishery.
We have identified that abalone ranching
can play an important role in enhancing
depleted abalone stocks. Furthermore, jobs
could be created within the communities
adjacent to areas identified to be suitable
for ranching.
Over the past couple
of years, abalone farming has developed
rapidly and production levels are now in
the order of about 1000 tons. With the increase
in the availability of abalone spat, various
ranching experiments have been initiated,
mainly near Port Nolloth along the west
coast, and on a smaller scale, at Cape Recife
along the east coast. These experiments
have yielded very useful information to
the extent that it will be possible to carry
out ranching in some of the areas. Areas
for abalone ranching have been identified
from Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape to
Hamburg in the Eastern Cape. We have therefore
developed guidelines on abalone ranching
and stock enhancement. These guidelines
will be gazetted for public comment on 13
June 2008.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion Chairperson,
I wish to thank all of our provincial colleagues
for the work that has been done in every
part of our country in both the environment
and tourism sectors. To Rev. Moatshe and
the other members of our Select Committee
- you have the appreciation and support
of our Department.
To our Statutory Bodies,
our Management Team, the Department and
our Deputy Minister, Rejoice Mabudafhasi
- it remains an honour to work with such
talented, dedicated and enthusiastic colleagues.
Ultimately what we debate
today - the budget policy for Environmental
Affairs and Tourism - could not be more
fundamental to the dreams, aspirations and
hopes of our people. A growing environment
and tourism sector is, quite simply, the
basic requirement for a growing South Africa.
I thank you.
Mava Scott (Acting Chief
Director: Communications)
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WELCOME SPEECH BY MARTHINUS
VAN SCHALKWYK, SOUTH AFRICAN MINISTER OF
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM, AT THE
OPENING OF THE 12th SESSION OF THE AFRICAN
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT
(AMCEN), SANDTON CONVENTION CENTRE, JOHANNESBURG,
TUESDAY 10 JUNE 2008
FELLOW MINISTERS FROM
AFRICA,
UNEP EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, ACHIM STEINER
DISTINGUISED GUESTS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
On behalf of South Africa,
I am delighted to welcome you here in Johannesburg
for the 12th Session of the African Ministerial
Conference on the Environment. It is indeed
no coincidence that the 12th Session is
held during World Environment month when,
across the globe, we celebrate the environment
and reflect on what the environment means
for us in terms of our material, natural
and spiritual well-being.
As the world population
increases so too does the demands for water,
energy and food resources. These pressures
are exacerbated by natural disasters, extreme
poverty and resource deprivation, as well
as human induced-climate change. These trends,
as evidenced by the sobering daily newspaper
reports about droughts, escalating food
and oil prices, and human tragedy, all place
new demands on the way we manage the environment.
Our task as Environment
Ministers is to provide the leadership that
will convert public will into political
will, and political will into action and
implementation. Over the last decade, we
have taken important steps forward. These
include mainstreaming and integrating environmental
concerns in other areas of work in our respective
governments and developing new scientific
and policy capacities. Despite these achievements,
there are also signs of a stagnating and
fragmented global regime for the environment
and sustainable development. The proliferation
of environmental agreements, funds and entities
calls for greater coordination and significantly
up-scaled resources. It also calls for the
further strengthening of AMCEN’s voice and
strategic leadership in the debate on international
environmental governance. Africa should
increasingly be driving these debates, thereby
ensuring that our concerns and interests
are at the forefront of United Nations environmental
reform.
Some immediate challenges,
which have particular relevance to our policy
dialogue tomorrow, include the building
of a strong political base for international
environmental governance (IEG); improving
coherence and coordination between different
UN agencies and bodies; eliminating the
fragmentation of implementation, scientific
work and policy development; and addressing
the huge resource gap that has led to discrepancies
between commitments and actions.
Let me share with you
a few ideas that I personally believe is
worth further consideration:
• Firstly, to establish
UNEP as the authoritative voice? on environment
and the chief advisor on environmental policy
in the UN system it might be an opportune
time to create an Office of the Chief Scientist
at UNEP. Such an office could play an important
facilitation role, act as a repository for
new research, assess new information and
make it accessible and digestible to policy
makers. It could also steer the efforts
towards rationalizing the science-based
decision-making in relation to multi-lateral
environmental agreements (MEA’s).
• Secondly, to ensure local level implementation
and? compliance with MEA’s, we need serious
and properly resourced efforts to implement
the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support
and Capacity-Building.
• And thirdly, I believe UNEP should be
requested to? lead an audit of how much
money for the environment is flowing through
the UN system, the adequacy of funding,
what it is used for and how it is aligned,
whether there are equitable distribution
to recipients, whether there are any obstacles
or conditionalities that unnecessarily hinders
access, and, finally, whether we are fully
exploiting the synergies and co-benefits
of environmental and developmental funding.
Chair, the overriding
challenge is to provide our people with
a better life and to eradicate the scourge
of hunger and poverty. It is therefore appropriate
that climate change is a key focus of this
meeting.
Africa is one of the
regions least responsible for climate change,
and is also least able to afford the costs
of adaptation. Africa will remain vulnerable
even if, globally, emissions peak and decline
in the next 10 to 15 years. No agreement
on the strengthening of the international
climate architecture, when we meet in Copenhagen
at the end of 2009, will be considered balanced
if adaptation is not accorded much higher
priority in our deliberations.
The UN Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change reconfirmed that
Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents
to climate variability and change because
of multiple stresses and low adaptive capacity.
Some of the identified impacts for Africa
are:
• Agricultural? production,
including access to food, in many African
countries and regions is projected to be
severely compromised.
• Local food supplies are also? projected
to be negatively affected by decreasing
fisheries resources in large lakes, which
may be exacerbated by continued over-fishing.
• Regional changes in the distribution and
production of particular fish species are
also expected.
Critical to assisting
African countries to building more resilient
economies and societies as well as to “leapfrog”
to low carbon growth and development, would
be a more empowering framework that will
enable effective capacity building, technology
transfer and financing.
Chair, I know that this
meeting will demonstrate that African Environment
Ministers are providing leadership in safeguarding
the environment for future generations,
and meeting the multi-faceted challenges
posed by climate change.
I look forward to our
deliberations over the next three days,
to the meaningful outcomes that will emerge
from this 12th Session, as well as ever
closer cooperation within the continent
in the years to come.
Colleagues, I thank
you and salute you for your efforts and
leadership as the champions of the environment
on the African continent.
I thank you.
Enquiries: Mava Scott
– 082 411 9821
