This 2004 Eastern Cape State of the Environment Report has described the environment of the Province through a variety of reporting themes, including:

• Atmosphere and climate;
• Biodiversity;
• Environmental management and governance;
• Freshwater;
• Human settlements;
• Land;
• Marine and coast; and
• Poverty.

The following are summaries of the state of the environment in each individual reporting theme.

Atmosphere and climate

The Eastern Cape Province does not appear to be a priority area as far as air quality is concerned, as is evidenced by the number and type of industries in the Province. Monitoring of air quality in the Province is performed on a fragmented basis as no co-ordinated network exists. No comprehensive assessment of air quality is therefore possible. Only ad hoc, very limited assessments can be made. In addition, little information is available on clinic admissions for respiratory infections. The majority of households, particularly those in rural areas, rely on fossil fuels such as paraffin and wood for domestic energy. Indoor air pollution is therefore a concern in the area, although it has not been quantified.

Biodiversity

Eastern Cape comprises seven different biomes, of which the Grassland, Nama Karoo, Thicket and Savanna biomes are the most extensive. A total of 316 threatened plant species are found in the province, more than one fifth occurring in the Thicket biome. The Forest and Fynbos biomes contain the highest number of threatened plants per unit area. There are three centres of endemism in the province, namely the Albany, Drakensberg and Pondoland centres. The province is home to 4 endemic freshwater fish species, 8 threatened marine fish species, 6 threatened frog species (4 of these are endemic), and 19 threatened reptile species (18 of these are endemic). More than 10% of Eastern Cape's surface area is conserved in some way, but only 4.3% is formally protected as National Parks or Provincial conservation areas. The distribution of protected areas is skewed, with almost half of the Local Municipalities having no protected areas even though they may contain rare, threatened or vulnerable species. Those municipalities with few rare, threatened or vulnerable species are well covered by protected areas.

Environmental management and governance

Environmental management and governance in the Eastern Cape is the responsibility of all stakeholders who have an impact on the environment. Three key stakeholder groups that play a significant role in the Eastern Cape are the Department of Economic Affairs, Environment and Tourism (DEAET), local government through municipalities and the private sector. Some positive actions are being taken by these groups to manage the environment, including the current restructuring of DEAET to respond to changes in national environmental policy, and the commitment of the private sector to environmental management through the implementation of environmental management systems. Areas of improvement include the inclusion of environmental management as a priority issue at the local government level.

Freshwater

Freshwater quality has declined in recent years in the Eastern Cape, particularly with respect to eutrophication. The latest figures indicate an improvement. There are numerous incidences of water quality guidelines being exceeded in all areas, in particular high TDS is experienced in the Fish to Tsitsikamma WMA and has required large water transfers into the area from the Upper Orange WMA. Groundwater quality, although not ideal, is below target values and is therefore not likely to cause significant health effects. Water in the Eastern Cape is used mainly for irrigation, transfers out of the province, urban and rural uses, and afforestation. Almost two thirds of water resources required in the Province are for irrigation. Surface water is the most abundant source of water and accounts for almost half of the resource available in the Eastern Cape.

Human settlements

Human settlement patterns in the Eastern Cape, as in the rest of South Africa, are largely influenced by past and present economic, social and political influences. Much of the backlog in basic service provision in the Province can be found in the former homeland areas, now known as the O.R. Tambo, Alfred Nzo and Chris Hani District Municipalities. Increased housing pressure is experienced in the more urban areas, with almost a quarter of dwellings in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality being informal dwellings. Overcrowding in households is evident in the Eastern Cape, with more than a third of households living in dwellings with two rooms or less. The majority of the population of the Province is young (under 34 years of age) and resides in the Amatole and O.R. Tambo District Municipalities, and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality.

Land

Eastern Cape is characterised by extensive areas of thicket vegetation which are degraded by agricultural practices, industrial expansion, invasion by alien species and the over-grazing of domestic herbivores. Just over half the Province is largely open areas of natural vegetation including forests, woodlands, grasslands and shrublands. Approximately 8% of land is cultivated and just over 1% is used for forest plantations. Eastern Cape is also one of the three most degraded provinces in South Africa. It has high soil degradation, particularly in commercial farmland areas. Most of the province is classed as 'Affected Drylands', and shows moderate or high predicted soil loss. Ownership of land reflects clearly the historical patterns of land allocation, with more than two thirds of the province being privately owned, and less than one third communal.

Marine and coast

The marine and coastal environment of the Eastern Cape is an extremely valuable asset. The coastline is over 820km in length, covering various habitats that host a wide range of biological diversity and resources. High levels of infrastructural development have occurred between the Kei and Kromme estuaries, resulting in increased pollution and decreased aesthetic appeal of the region. Inshore resources are heavily exploited in the Province, particularly north of the Kei estuary where rural subsistence lifestyles are prominent. Offshore resources are heavily exploited by commercial fishers.

Poverty

The Eastern Cape is arguably the poorest province in South Africa, although Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal are held to compete strongly. More than two thirds of households are classed as suffering from poverty, while one third of the population is unemployed. More than half the employed population in the Eastern Cape earn less than R500 per month. The Eastern Cape is thus faced with widespread poverty, with rural areas being the worst affected. The lack of employment and income in many households measn that these households are vulnerable to many of the problems associated with poverty, such as poor health care. The situation is further exacerbated by the increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS. The provincial HIV prevalence amongst antenatal clinic attendees was more than 20% in 2002.