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2.1. The Constitution

The Vision, Mission and Principles articulated below are underpinned and guided by South Africa's new Constitution which provides within its Bill of Rights that everyone has the right:

1. to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being and
2. to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that:
   1. prevent pollution and ecological degradation;
   2. promote conservation; and
   3. secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development.

2.2. A Vision for South Africa

A prosperous, environmentally conscious nation, whose people are in harmonious coexistence with the natural environment, and which derives lasting benefits from the conservation and sustainable use of its rich biological diversity.

2.3. The Mission of Government

Government will strive to conserve South Africa's biological diversity and to thereby maintain ecological processes and systems whilst providing lasting development benefits to the nation through the ecologically sustainable, socially equitable, and economically efficient use of biological resources.

2.4. Guiding Principles

In the context of the Vision and Mission, the following inter-related principles will guide the application, assessment and further development of the biodiversity policy and strategy.

2.4.1. Intrinsic Value. All life forms and ecological systems have intrinsic value.

2.4.2. Duty of Care. All people and organisations should act with due care to conserve and avoid negative impacts on biodiversity, and to use biological resources sustainably, equitably and efficiently.

2.4.3. Sustainable Use. The benefits derived from the use of South Africa's biological resources are dependent upon:

1. such resources being used at a rate within their capacity for renewal;
2. maintaining the ecological integrity of the natural systems which produce such resources;
3. minimising or avoiding the risk of irreversible change induced by humans;
4. adequate investments being made to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and
5. avoiding or minimising the adverse impacts of the use of non-renewable resources on biodiversity.

2.4.4. The Fair and Equitable Distribution of Benefits. Benefits arising from the use and development of South Africa's biological resources will be fairly and equitably shared. The rights to use biological resources will be equitably allocated, and will recognise

1. that it may be necessary to limit access in order to ensure conservation and sustainable use;
2. that within the constraints of sustainable use, the socioeconomic upliftment of disadvantaged communities is an important criterion upon which decisions will be based;
3. that where peoples' historical rights of access to natural resources have been removed or constrained this should be reviewed and redressed in line with the other guiding principles; and
4. the Constitutional rights of owners of biological resources.

2.4.5. Full Cost-Benefit Accounting. Decision-makers and users of biological resources will be guided by economic approaches which assess the full social and environmental costs and benefits of projects, plans and policies that impact upon biodiversity, and which internalise costs borne to the environment and to society. These will reflect both the economic loss that results when biodiversity is degraded or lost, as well as the value gained from conserving the resource. Generators of waste will bear the environmental, social and economic costs to society of resulting pollution, and the responsibility for redressing any consequences.

2.4.6. Informed and Transparent Decision-Making. Decisions relating to the conservation and use of biodiversity in South Africa will be based upon the best applicable knowledge available. In cases where a lack of information is evident, steps will be taken to collect information necessary to assess the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Where appropriate, information necessary to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity will be readily available in an accessible form, and will enable people to work with, and obtain the information they need for informed participation in biodiversity management.

2.4.7. The Precautionary Principle. Where there is a threat of significant reduction or loss of biological diversity but inadequate or inconclusive scientific evidence to prove this, action should be considered to avoid or minimise threats.

2.4.8. Accountability and Transparency. Those making and implementing decisions relating to the conservation and use of biodiversity in South Africa will be accountable to the public for their actions through explicit, justifiable processes.

2.4.9. Subsidiarity. Governance responsibilities belong at the level at which they can be most effectively carried out.

2.4.10. Participation. Interested and affected individuals and groups will have an opportunity to participate in decisions about the ways in which biological resources are conserved and used.

2.4.11. Recognition and Protection of Traditional Knowledge, Practices and Cultures. Traditional knowledge, practices and cultures supporting the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity will, where possible, be recognised, protected, maintained, promoted, and used with the approval and involvement of those who possess this knowledge. Benefits arising from the innovative use of traditional knowledge of biological diversity will be equitably shared with those from whom knowledge has been gleaned.

2.4.12. Coordination and Cooperation. Because biodiversity transcends political, institutional and social boundaries, an enabling framework will be provided for the future coordination and cooperation of biodiversity-related activities in South Africa, in the southern African sub-region, and globally. Coordination will also be ensured between other plans, programmes and policies which have implications for the conservation of biodiversity and use of biological resources.

2.4.13. Integration. The conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity will be integrated strategically at all levels into national, provincial, local and sectoral planning, programme, and policy efforts (e.g. forestry, agriculture, fisheries, land reform, industry, education, health, mining, etc.) to implement the goals and objectives of the policy effectively.

2.4.14. Global and International Responsibilities. South Africa has a shared responsibility for ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity beyond our borders, and for transboundary equity.

2.4.15. Evaluation and Review. The policy will not be an end in itself, but rather part of an iterative process which will be monitored and reviewed regularly. Strategies adopted will be responsive to social, economic and environmental change, as well as to scientific and technological advances, but will have due concern for maintaining continuity.

Chapter 3