Environment Southern Africa

Justice minister considers closing Environmental Court

Original Article published in the Cape Times 24 April 2006

The future of South Africa's first regional environmental court hangs in the balance as justice minister Brigitte Mabandla considers a proposal to close it down.

According to regional head of justice in the Western Cape, Hishaam Mohamed, the proposal submitted to the Minister of Justice is one of six made by a task team set up to investigate the "green court". Sources indicate that the current justice ministry does not favour specialist courts.

The environmental court, established in Hermanus three years ago, had an 85 percent conviction rate last year and has put some of the key "middlemen" in marine poaching syndicates behind bars.

If the environmental court closes down, environmental cases are likely to revert to being heard by lower district courts where there are no specialist prosecutors and where environmental cases historically have had a low conviction rate.

Environment affairs and tourism director-general. Pam Yako, praised the Hermanus green court at an environmental law enforcement conference in Durban in February, and stated that her department was keen to "continue the success" of the court. South Africa has lost an estimated R3-billion to marine poaching in the last few years.

Ontario leads North America with renewable energy tariff

Original Article published in the Cape Times 24 April 2006

The Ontario government has unveiled a vast, new renewable energy incentive program experts predict will accelerate the use of renewable energy in Canada and create a regional market with implications for the global renewable energy industries.

The Standard Offer Contract, known in Europe as a "feed-law" or "advanced renewable tariff", offers renewable energy producers guaranteed access to the electricity grid at a price set by the regulatory authority. This gives producers the contractual certainty needed to finance renewable energy projects.

The contracts are available to anyone, including homeowners, businesses and commercial energy producers. The electricity produced would be fed into the electricity grid.

In Germany, adoption of the new policy has led to the development of 110,000 solar PV systems, 2,000 biomass plants, 6,000 small hydro plants, 16,500 wind turbines, and 45,000 jobs in the wind industry.

Scarred West Coast dunes cause a stir

Article originally published in the Cape Argus on April 21, 2006, by John Yeld  

The problem was highlighted by the Cape Argus earlier this year, after a similar aerial inspection arranged by Brendhan Kannemeyer, chairperson of the newly constituted Elands Bay Environment and Development Action Group.  

Kannemeyer, a Cape Town businessman and helicopter pilot who also owns a house at Elands Bay, this week flew senior officials from the Marine and Coastal Management of the department of environmental affairs and tourism, CapeNature and the department of public works on an inspection in two helicopters. 

Now, a meeting is being scheduled for early next month between all the parties - including police, municipal officials and marine inspectors - to devise a management plan for the Elands Bay-Verlorenvlei area to stop the off-road driving and other problems.

For the rest of this article please Download scarred_west_coast_dunes_cause_a_stir.pdf

Firms vow to help fight greenhouse pollution

Original Article published on April 24 2006 by iol.co.za, written by Deborah Zabarenko

Washington - Delegates from six of the world's biggest greenhouse gas polluters - including the United States - gathered last week for the first time to figure out how private industry can help curb global warming.

 The Bush administration is promoting this voluntary effort as a practical way to develop clean-energy technology to tackle climate change. But an environmental expert dismissed it as busy-work that would not be as effective as the requirements imposed by the international Kyoto Protocol on global warming. 

Initially sceptical, the US administration accepts the reality of global climate change, which has been associated with stronger hurricanes, severe droughts, intense heat waves and the melting of polar ice.
For the rest of this article please Download firms_vow_to_help_fight_greenhouse_pollution.pdf

New EIA Regulations Unveiled

Original article published on News24 (SA) 19/04/2006

Pretoria - Revised regulations, aimed at making the processing of environmental impact assessment (EIA) applications "quicker, simpler and better", were unveiled by Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk in Pretoria on Wednesday.

Among the important features of the new regulations - to be promulgated in the Government Gazette on Friday and to come into effect on July 1 - is the introduction of compulsory timeframes.

Van Schalkwyk said: "Under the new regulations, authorities will be obliged to deliver within 14 days for purely administrative actions, within 45 days for review and decision-making on minor reports, and between 60 and 105 days for review and decision-making on complex reports."

For the rest of this article please Download new_eia_regulations_unveiled.pdf

Restoration of Wetlands Key to Reducing Future Threats of Avian Flu

Investments in ‘Ecosystem’ Health Likely to Pay Dividends in War Against Infectious Diseases

Original Article - (UNEP News Release 2006/24) - Elisabeth Waechter, UNEP Associate Media Officer, on Tel: 254 207623088, Mobile: 254 720 173968, e-mail: [email protected]

Nairobi, 11 April 2006 - Restoring tens of thousands of lost and degraded wetlands could go a long way towards reducing the threat of avian flu pandemics a new report today says.

The loss of wetlands around the globe (see notes to editors) is forcing many wild birds onto alternative sites like farm ponds and paddy fields, bringing them into direct contact with chickens, ducks, geese, and other domesticated fowl.

Close contact of wild birds and poultry species is believed to be a major cause behind the spread of avian influenza.

For the rest of this article please Download restoration_of_wetlands_key_to_reducing_future_threats_of_avian_flu.pdf

'Taps set to close on illegal water use'

By Philda Essop, This article was originally published on page 4 of Cape Argus on April 12, 2006

Serious measures are being considered against illegal water users, Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Buyelwa Sonjica warned on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Western Cape Water Summit in Rawsonville, she described illegal water use as a "concern" to her department.

"We intend taking serious action against people who use water illegally, who extract and store water without the necessary permits," she said. "Illegal water use is a criminal offence and perpetrators can be prosecuted."

For the rest of this article please Download taps_set_to_close_on_illegal_water_use.pdf

Our coastal waters now have protected status

Original article from IOL (12/04/2006) - Sapa

The Cape's coastal waters have been given an internationally recognised status that will give them greater protection from pollution, the departments of transport and environment affairs announced on Tuesday.

They said the International Maritime Organisation had approved a South African proposal for a stretch of sea to be declared a "special area" under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships.

A special area was one which, because of oceanographic and ecological factors, required special rules for preventing pollution by oil, noxious liquids or ships' garbage.

For the rest of this article please Download our_coastal_waters_now_have_protected_status.pdf

Testing to begin on genetically modified food

This article was originally published on page 8 of The Mercury on April 11, 2006 (By Stephanie Saville).

Independent tests on the health effects of genetically modified crops, due to start soon in South Africa, have been welcomed by watchdog groups.

The tests will start soon at the University of the Free State's Genetically Modified Organisms Testing Facility. Professor Chris Viljoen, who heads the independent testing facility, said that trials with animals should take about three years to complete. After these, the testing facility would look at general allergic responses in humans.
For the rest of this article please Download testing_to_begin_on_gm_foods.pdf

Cottage residents appeal court's ruling

This article was originally published on page 9 of Cape Argus on April 11, 2006

Illegal cottages, described as part of the cancer inflicting the environment of Transkei's world-famous Wild Coast, should have been demolished by now.

But cottage owners have filed for leave to appeal the demolition order, extending a legal battle that has been raging for more than 10 years.

In December, Transkei High Court judge Selwyn Miller ruled that 16 white-owned cottages in the Black Sands, Manteku and Dagaan areas of the Wild Coast were illegal and had to be removed and the land rehabilitated.

For the rest of this article please Download cottage_residents_appeal_courts_ruling.pdf