South Africa tomorrow joins other nations of the world in the call for action to combat climate change as we celebrate World Environment Day (WED) on 5 June 2009. Relating her message to the international theme, “your planet needs you! Unite to combat climate change,” Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Buyelwa Sonjica has emphasised the important role that all South Africans have in addressing climate change adding that communities play a pivotal role in changing attitudes towards the environment.
Minister Sonjica said, “We need to raise and enhance awareness around climate change so that the climate change message could become accessible to all citizens especially the poor who are also the most vulnerable to this phenomenon. They are the ones at the coalface and are at the receiving end thereof. We need to demystify the concept to the point where those of our community living in the rural and depressed areas of our country understand and embrace the message that we communicate.”
This year’s World Environment Day celebrations take place immediately after the conclusion of the special session of the African Ministers Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in Nairobi under the chairpersonship of Minister Sonjica, where it was highlighted that the priority of African countries is to implement climate change programmes in a way that helps achieve sustainable development, particularly with emphasis on alleviating poverty and attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). All of this will be with focus on the most vulnerable such as women and children who bear the brunt of the impact today.
Minister Sonjica’s political will was demonstrated when she and thirty of her African colleagues, adopted the Nairobi declaration at the same special session of AMCEN mentioned above. The declaration highlights major challenges and opportunities in the negotiations for a more equitable climate regime. The declaration provides African countries with a platform to make a strong case for support at Copenhagen 2009.
The urgency of addressing climate change and the commitment from South Africa is also echoed in the national theme for Environment Month “SA act now! combat climate change.” The celebrations are intended to encourage all South Africans to actively participate in the environmental programmes. We call on civil society and all relevant stakeholders to continue to be our partners in ensuring that as a country we act together. We need to together ensure sustainable and equitable living, with active partnerships in the promotion of awareness on the issue.
World Environment Day takes place at a time when South Africa is drafting the policy framework for climate change, following the Climate Change Summit in March this year. The March 2009 Climate Change Summit laid the foundation for a participatory process that will culminate in a Policy White Paper on Climate Change by 2010, and the translation of this policy into a legislative and regulatory fiscal package by 2012.
Environment Month is an annual feature on the South African calendar and sees celebrations by national, provincial and local government as well as various stakeholders taking place across the country. A range of activities such as conferences, awareness campaigns, information sessions, tree planting and workshops are scheduled to be conducted during June in celebration of Environment Month.
For further information on Environment Month and the activities scheduled across the country visit http://www.environment.gov.za or contact our call centre on 086 111 2468
Enquiries:
Albi Modise
Tel: 012 310 3122
Cell: 083 490 2871
E-mail: amodise@deat.gov.za
Kgomotso Mokgoko
Cell: 083 519 7516
E-mail: kmokgoko@deat.gov.za
Roopa Singh
Cell: 082 225 3076
E-mail: rsingh@deat.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Water and Environmental Affairs
4 June 2009
Source: Department of Water and Environmental Affairs (http://www.deat.gov.za/)
