UN launches plan to save tropical forests
September 26, 2008
Posted in Conservation
The United Nations launched a programme this week to help nine developing countries – among them three African states, Zambia, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo – to establish systems to monitor, assess and report their forest cover. The programme could lay the foundation for a system whereby poor countries could earn tradable carbon credits for protecting their forests. Indonesia, for example, has the potential to be compensated $1-billion a year for reducing its rate of deforestation, the UN estimates.
Deforestation accounts for 20 percent of global carbon emissions, say scientists. If the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Programme, or UN-REDD, were to be incorporated into a post-Kyoto climate deal it would be a way rich countries would pay poor ones to slow climate change. Other countries in the programme are Bolivia, Indonesia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Viet Nam.
Glimmer of hope for Xolobeni
September 25, 2008
Posted in Conservation
The mining licence to extract titanium from the coastal dunes of the Xolobeni area of the Wild Coast will not come into effect on October 31 as originally scheduled, the Sunday Tribune (subscription) reports. The minister of minerals and energy Buyelwa Sonjica, sent a letter to that effect to the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), which is representing the Amadiba Crisis Committee, a group of local residents opposed to the mining.
The minister reportedly wants to consult King Mpondo-mbini Sigcau, Queen MaSobhuza and Chief Ndabazakhe Baleni, and hold hearings where the LRC will make submissions on why she should withdraw the decision to allow the mining.
Earlier this month the minister admitted that the consultation process for the mining had been flawed.
The LRC had sent an ultimatum to Sonjica telling her that if the mining licence, granted to Australian firm MRC and its South African partner Transworld Energy and Minerals, was not suspended by October 1, it was prepared to go to court.
Even common birds are in trouble, says BirdLife report
September 22, 2008
Posted in Conservation
Around the world, the numbers of once common birds are falling, providing evidence of a rapid deterioration in the global environment, says BirdLife International in a new publication, State of the World’s Birds, and website, which were launched today.
“Birds provide an accurate and easy-to-read environmental barometer, allowing us to see clearly the pressures our current way of life are putting on the world’s biodiversity”, said Dr Mike Rands, BirdLife’s CEO. Read more
Update: Kimberley’s flamingo dam suspensions
September 19, 2008
Posted in Conservation
A hearing on the suspension of three officials from the Northern Cape tourism, environment and conservation department is expected today, Sapa reported earlier this week.
The officials, Mark Anderson, Julius Koen and Eric Hermann, were suspended last month for what is believed to be their involvement in a campaign to save the lesser flamingo breeding colony on Kimberley’s Kamfers Dam. It is the largest colony of the flamingos in South Africa and one of only four breeding sites in the whole of Africa.
Ornithologist Mark Anderson, one of the suspended men, received an international award for his contributions to the conservation, research and monitoring of migratory water birds this week at the meeting of the African-Eurasion Waterbird Agreement in Madagascar.
Anderson is reportedly the driving force behind the work to save Kimberley’s lesser flamingo colony, but it appears to be because of these efforts that he has been suspended. The Save the Flamingo campaign brought attention to threats to the Kamfers Dam colony from raw sewage leaking from the Homevale Sewerage Works into the dam and a proposed massive housing and commercial development.
The Save the Flamingo Association says that its campaign has had many success, including the recent moratorium on any further developments in Kimberley until the Homevale Sewerage Works is upgraded. On its Save the Flamingo website it says: “Despite years of discussion and negotiation, there had been no progress until the Save the Flamingo Association commenced with its campaign. The Association is grateful to the many people who have signed the petition and donated funds towards the campaign. The battle is however far from over, and the desired end result is a sewerage works which can adequately cope with Kimberley’s sewage water.”
Meanwhile, a webcam has been installed on the island by Africam (See “Flamingo” link on www.africam.com). The image above is a screen grab from the webcam’s site. Initially, only refresh images are available, but it is anticipated that live streaming images will be available once band width problems have been resolved, the association says.
Now we all have an opportunity to get a close-up view one of Kimberley’s most spectacular tourist attractions.
Xolobeni community lawyers issue ultimatum
September 18, 2008
Posted in Conservation
The legal representative of the Xolobeni community has this week written a letter to the minister of minerals and energy, Buyelwa Sonjica, stating that she has until October 1 to withdraw or suspend the mining licence issued to Australian company Mineral Resources Commodities (MRC) and its South African partner, Transworld Energy and Minerals (TEM), or the community will proceed with legal action against her, the Daily Dispatch reports.
A spokesman for the department said that suspending the licence wasn’t part of the department’s plan at present because it believes that mining and tourism can go hand in hand in the area. Read full story
Xolobeni: Consultation process was flawed, says minister
September 15, 2008
Posted in Conservation
The minister of minerals and energy, Bujelwa Sonjica, said on Friday that the consultation process for the Xolobeni dune mining project on the Wild Coast was “flawed”, the Sunday Tribune and the Daily Dispatch report. Read more
Petition to stop mining of Xolobeni beaches
September 12, 2008
Posted in Conservation
An online petition has been organised to call on the minister of minerals and energy to reject the application of an Australian mining company to mine the coastal dunes in the Xolobeni area of the Wild Coast. The minister is scheduled to sign the mining licence and environmental management plan on October 31. The petition states that if the mining were to go ahead it would be a gross violation of the human rights of the local residents.
In his explanation of why the mining would be a violation of human rights, John Clarke quotes Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and former President of Ireland, who, he wrote, while visiting South Africa last year, advised civil society to heed the words of Eleanor Rooseveld:
“Where, after all, do universal rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world… Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerned citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”
You’ll find the petition here
For more information, visit Sustaining the Wild Coast‘s website.
Kimberley ornithologist receives charge sheet
September 7, 2008
Posted in Conservation
Kimberley ornithologist Mark Anderson – who was suspended with two of his colleagues by the Northern Cape department of tourism, environment and nature conservation last month for what appears to be their efforts to protect the flamingo breeding site on Kamfers Dam – has received his charge sheet this week, the Saturday Star reports. But his colleagues, Julius Koen and Eric Hermann have not. Read more
Xolobeni community starts legal appeal
September 6, 2008
Posted in Conservation
A notice of appeal has been filed on behalf of the Amadiba Crisis Committee, a group of residents in the Xolobeni area of the Wild Coast opposed to a proposed coastal dune mining project, Mining Weekly reports. The minister of minerals and energy reportedly has until October 1 to respond, after which the group may decide to take its appeal to have the mining licence for the project set aside to the high court. Read full story
Update: Tensions rise over proposed titanium mine
September 5, 2008
Posted in Conservation
Calls have been made for urgent intervention to prevent violent conflict in the Xolobeni area of the Wild Coast, where a licence has been granted to an Australian company to mine the dunes for titanium. [IOL] Read more
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