Environment Southern Africa

Shilowa to launch Gauteng ‘city region’

Original article on www.businessday.co.za 24 May 2006 by Chantelle Benjamin

GAUTENG will be launched as a “city region” this August, joining the likes of London, Tokyo and Sao   Paulo to become more competitive by creating a common development plan for the entire province.

As Gauteng is projected to have a population of 14,6-million by 2015, the province’s leadership is concerned that it will not be able to “meet its significant development challenges” unless all three spheres of government work together and are thinking beyond the boundaries of municipal structures.

The executive mayors of the province’s three metros — Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni — and mayors from the districts of West Rand, Sedibeng and Metsweding, support the “city region” concept.

For the rest of this article please Download shilowa_to_launch_gauteng_city_region.pdf

New Biodiversity strategy launched

Original article on www.iol.co.za, 22 May 2008

Biodiversity policies must be integrated into economic decision-making for South Africa's flora and wildlife to be conserved, says Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk.

He said on Monday up to four-fifths of the country's biodiversity lay outside its game reserves, marine parks and other protected areas.

"Given the geographic spread and extraordinary diversity of our plant and animal species, it is impossible to conserve the majority of species and ecosystems through a traditional protected areas approach alone."

For the rest of this article please Download new_biodiversity_strategy_launched.pdf

Ozone hole may vanish by 2050

Original article on www.news24.co.za; 22 May 2006

The ozone hole over the Antarctic is likely to begin contracting in the future and may disappear by 2050 because of a reduction in the release of chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting gases, according to a team of Japanese scientists.

The findings are based on a series of numerical simulations carried out by Eiji Akiyoshi of the National Institute for Environmental Studies, near Tokyo, using projected emissions of chlorofluorocarbons and other gases blamed for the ozone hole.
For the rest of the article please Download ozone_hole_may_vanish_by_2050.pdf

Canada wants Kyoto deal scrapped – reports

Original Article on www.iol.co.za, 22 May 2006

Ottawa - Canada will to try to block efforts to set stricter emissions targets in the Kyoto Protocol's second phase starting in 2012 and wants the climate-change accord scrapped in favour of a separate, voluntary deal, The Globe and Mail newspaper reported on Saturday.

The report sparked outrage among environmental activists and opposition Liberals, who accused the Conservative government of trying to undermine years of international effort to counter global warming.

For the rest of the article please Download canada_wants_kyoto_deal_scrapped_reports.pdf

Game auctions in SA are vital to conservation

Article by By Jerome Cartillier, www.iol.co.za on 17 May 2006-05-18 

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, South Africa - South Africa's vibrant game auctions replete with animals ranging from rhinos to giraffes are being seen as a key element to the country's conservation efforts.

As game hunting as well as camera safaris and eco-tourism earn mega bucks, more and more people are being lured to open game farms. 

Over the past 10 years, rich South Africans have been increasingly veering towards investing in game farms in the same manner that their European counterparts are putting money into vineyards.

For the rest of this article, please Download game_auctions_in_sa_are_vital_to_conservation.pdf

SA jumps in to save African heritage sites

Article by Sheree Russouw originally published in the Saturday Star, 29 April 2006

Fourteen endangered World Heritage sites across Africa are to benefit from a multimillion-rand rescue package that aims to preserve them for future generations. On Friday, South Africa plans to unveil the African World Heritage Fund, which will support countries without the budgets and skill to guard their proclaimed natural and cultural treasures.

South Africa - home to seven World Heritage sites - has been credited with pioneering the birth of the fund. At a ceremony at the Cradle of Humankind in Maropeng, west of Johannesburg, the departments of arts and culture and of environmental affairs and tourism will jointly contribute R20-million to the fund. China, the Netherlands, India and Israel have also pledged their financial support.

Thirty-four of the world's 812 World Heritage sites have been placed on the World Heritage Endangered List - and 14 of these are in Africa.

For the rest of the artickle please Download sa_jumps_in_to_save_african_heritage_sites.pdf

Cape committee gives wind farm the thumbs up

Origenal article from IOL (26/04/06)-Sapa

The City of Cape Town's mayoral committee has given a thumbs up to the proposed Darling Wind Farm. The City said in a news release that the committee had recommended to the council that the City enter into a power purchase agreement with Darling Wind Farm (Pty) Ltd. The Darling Wind Farm is a R70-million national pilot project funded jointly by the Danish Development Aid (Danida), the Department of Minerals and Energy and the Darling Independent Power Producing Co.
The project will open up opportunities for further wind energy projects and other "green energy projects" both in the Western Cape and further afield.It will also be an important step in assisting the city to reach its target of sourcing 10 percent of its overall energy requirements from sustainable sources by 2020.
Once council had considered the committee's recommendation, the way will be open for City customers to purchase green energy.
This will be marketed to "willing buyers" at an initial premium of 25c per kWh.
It is expected that the demand for green energy will outstrip the 13 200 Gigawatt hours of energy that can be supplied annually by the farm Gigawatt hour 3D 1 million kilowatt hours.
Darling Wind Farm is expected to commence generation in 2007 and the energy will be sold through RED1, the City's electricity service provider.