National Marine Week is celebrated every year during the third week of October. Its purpose is to create awareness on the marine and coastal environment, the promotion of sustainable use and conservation of these resources, for the benefit of all both present and future generations. As custodian of the marine resources in South Africa, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism is the lead driver for National Marine Week. This year National Marine Week was celebrated
People and Parks Conference
The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism convened People and Parks conference to reflect on the successes and review challenges of the People and Parks programme ( P&P). This conference looks at the role protected areas (land under conservation) play in local economic development and poverty alleviation.
The Launch of the Clean Fires Campaign:
The Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi officially launched the Clean Fires Campaign in 2008 at Saul Tsotetsi Sports Centre in Sebokeng. The Clean Fires Campaign was a national high-profile outreach event to roll out the Department of Minerals and Energy’s Basa Njengo Magogo fire -making methodology in national priority areas (Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area and Highveld Priority Area) in winter 2008. Our target is to reduce air pollution in low-income settlements where people use coal as a primary source of energy. The campaign is aimed at raising the awareness of households that use coal fires for cooking or heating and motivating the community to make Their fires in a better way.
Global Climate
Change: DEAT web pages providing information and documents
on climate change
These pages are new and have been developed in order to provide
a comprehensive resource of information, links and publications
on climate change and ozone layer protection and the action
being taken to address these issues both globally and here
in South Africa.
12th Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in Johannesburg, South Africa
The African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) was established in December 1985, following a conference of African ministers of environment held in Cairo, Egypt . Its mandate is to provide advocacy for environmental protection in Africa; to ensure that basic human needs are met adequately and in a sustainable manner; to ensure that social and economic development is realized at all levels; and to ensure that agricultural activities and practices meet the food security needs of the region.
8th International Conference on Environmental Compliance and EnforcementCape Town, South Africa
The International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE) is the only global network of environmental compliance and enforcement practitioners dedicated to raising awareness of compliance and enforcement; developing networks for enforcement cooperation; and strengthening capacity to implement and enforce environmental requirements. INECE communicates that environmental compliance and enforcement play a fundamental role in building the foundation for the rule of law, good governance, and sustainable development.
National Biodiversity
Strategy and Action Plan
The National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment Executive
Summary and Technical Reports (including Terrestrial,
River, Estuary and Marine components) are now
available.
The World Summit on Sustainable Development
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), also known as the Johannesburg Summit, was held in Johannesburg.
The Johannesburg World Summit Company (Jowsco), a not-for-profit entity established in 2001 in terms of section 21 of the Companies Act of 1973, was set up by the South African government to manage and co-ordinate the logistics of the Johannesburg Summit.
Wild Coast Spatial
Development Initiative Pilot Programme
This is the report of the Mid-Term Review (MTR) team appointed
to review the "Support to the Wild Coast Spatial Development
Initiative Pilot Programme". This 4-year Programme that started
in March 2000 aims to achieve tangible and economic and social
development of previously disadvantaged communities (PDCs) both
in terms of job creation and income generation.
3rd World Parks
Congress:
The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism convened a 2 day conference to reflect on the successes and review challenges of the People and Parks programme ( P&P). This conference looks at the role protected areas (land under conservation) play in local economic development and poverty alleviation.
SADC Regional
Environmental Education Programmey
The purpose of the Regional Environmental Education Programme
is to enable environmental education practitioners in the SADC
region to strengthen environmental education processes for equitable
and sustainable environmental management choices. The Department
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) supports and contributes
towards enhancing and strengthening environmental education policy,
networking, the development of resource materials and capacity-building.
National Environmental
Education Programme (NEEP)
The National Environmental Education Programme is a collaborative
project coordinated by the Department of Education. Its purpose
is to support teachers in implementing environmental education
at schools, and integrate it with the outcomes-based curriculum.
The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) supports
NEEP with resource materials on contemporary environmental issues.
Imbizo Focus
Week
The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism is actively
participating in this year's Imbizo Focus Week to be held on
13 March 2003 to 6 April 2003. Imbizo Focus Week is one of the
many community outreach programmes that the Department is actively
involved with this year.
Transfrontier
Conservation Areas Launch Information
A TFCA is an area straddling across two or more international borders where the natural and cultural resources are collaboratively managed by the governments/authorities involved; and a TFP is an area where two or more protected areas are managed jointly.
Social Responsibility Programme
The purpose of DEAT’s Social Responsibility Programme is the creation of temporary employment and skills development opportunities in the sphere of environment and tourism for unemployed people through the implementation of labour intensive projects under the auspices of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP)
Waste Management
for a cleaner south africa
The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) convened a National Waste Management Conference as part of the consultation process on the draft Waste Management Bill, with the theme "Waste Management for a cleaner South Africa - A Local Government Perspective" at the Emperors Palace in Johannesburg.
The Conference brought together a cross section of representatives across the public sector and the private sector to assess the draft Waste Management Bill against the background of their experiences with waste management at local government, promoting the shift towards more sustainable waste management strategies and practices, and placing emphasis on the reduction, reuse and recycling of wastes.
World Heritage
Convention Programme
Since ratification of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention
in 1997, South Africa has had seven properties inscribed as World
Heritage Sites on the World Heritage List.
State of the
Environment Project
South Africa has a large amount of information on the state of
its environment, which has been captured in a national State
of the Environment Report. Five metropolitan areas have produced
their own reports, while provincial reports are also being compiled.
Spatial development
initiatives
Several areas of great natural beauty and cultural significance,
and with high potential for income-generation through natural-resource
management, have been identified as SDIs.
CoastCare
The CoastCare programme consists of projects and products that
contribute to the goals and objectives of DEAT's coastal
policy.
CITES(Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.The fourteenth meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP 14) to CITES will take place in The Hague , the Netherlands.
