M van Schalkwyk: Opening ceremony of Wild Talk Africa 2007

27 August 2007

Climate change gearing our national parks

Introduction

The modern environmental filmmaker occupies one of the most important and
challenging positions in the media spectrum balancing the roles of watch-dog,
educator, researcher, activist and social commentator. This is why it is so
important to have a Wild Talk Africa Festival. I believe that this festival
could stimulate the need for more environmental reporters, equipped with
up-to-date skills, cutting-edge knowledge and real in-depth understanding of
the environmental and sustainable development issues on our continent.

Environmental issues continue to advance to centre-stage in almost every
discipline. One of our most important environmental challenges is climate
change. I am delighted that this topic forms an integral part of this festival
with the screening of 'the 11th hour' and a presentation on African solutions
for climate change.

The potential impacts and risks of unanticipated climate variability and
projected climate change are severe. Addressing climate change is one of the
critical challenges that can be achieved through integrated government
planning, partnerships with the private sector and civil society, and a
strengthened multilateral regime. In addition, to successfully communicate our
message to the grassroots level, to drive the issue to the top of the
international agenda, and to ensure behavioural changes in households, industry
and at leadership level, the relationship with the environmental filmmaker and
media will be critical.

The climate challenges

Understanding that all countries, including developing countries, have to do
more to address climate change, albeit in different ways, our government has
taken a pro-active approach.

In support of government's efforts to align policy-making with our climate
change challenges, the Cabinet initiated the long term mitigation scenario
process. This process will outline the range of ambitious but realistic
scenarios of future climate action, notably long-term emissions scenarios and
their cost implications, and will inform future policy-making and strategic
decisions. In addition, various national departments, provinces and cities are
refining their sector plans in line with the national climate change response
strategy. Working closely with industry, our department will also be finalising
our updated Greenhouse Gas Inventory and South Africa's National Communication
for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) early
next year.

Ultimately, the results of the long term mitigation scenario process, the
sector strategies and our interaction with the best available science, will
collectively inform our first ever long term national climate policy which we
intend publishing during 2008/9.

Adaptation to the adverse impacts of climate change must occur in parallel
with efforts to slow down climate change. In the international community it is
likely that funding will increasingly be made available to sensible, innovative
and effective adaptation plans. We in South Africa should position ourselves to
be amongst the leaders in these efforts, and to gain from this trend in a way
that will yield long term benefits.

Within our portfolio, a priority area of work in this context deals with the
impacts of climate change on key environmental assets. These include especially
our natural heritage in the most threatened eco-systems and conservation areas
of this country, marine resources, and ecosystem goods and services that
support so many livelihoods and that maintain our environmental health and
integrity.

Climate change and our Parks

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirmed that climate
change is emerging as the single greatest driver of biodiversity loss, and as
such will by mid-century have a dramatic impact on key eco-systems,
conservation areas, marine resources, and potentially tourism.

Globally, by mid century, 20% to 30% of plant and animal species are likely
to be at increased risk of extinction as a result of climate change. Closer to
home, in sub-Saharan Africa, the IPCC indicated that between 25% and 40% of
animal species in national parks will see further increases in threat status.
South African Fynbos and the Succulent Karoo ecosystem seem particularly
vulnerable and for a mean global temperature increase of between 2 and 3�C
during this century, we stand to lose between 50% and 65% of our unique
Fynbos.

Potential shifts in the strength and position of the Benguela current up
welling system that supports South Africa's most productive fishery are also
indicated.

In conservation areas the threats appear to be real and urgent. For
example:

In the Kruger National Park we could see more intense rainfall interspersed
with possibly more extended dry spells, changes in the tree cover and grass
production, greater competition for water with water users upstream of the
park.

The Table Mountain National Park could see local extinctions of
climate-sensitive fynbos species with possible loss of sensitive habitats such
as ancient perennial water seeps, increased frequency of fires, and accelerated
spread of alien invasive species

The Isimangaliso Wetland Park could see gradual sea level rise leading to
increased salinity and species loss in wetlands, and in conjunction with
extreme storm events and possible degradation of mangroves that act as natural
barriers against storm surges.

In the Tankwa Karoo National Park and other protected areas of the Succulent
Karoo it is very likely that that we could see increased risk of extinction of
tens to hundreds of endemic succulent species over the next few decades.

In order to preserve our magnificent heritage and key environmental assets,
and ensure that it is passed on intact to the children and grandchildren of
this nation, and indeed the world, we have to work on adaptation measures. In
line with current thinking on adaptation to the effects of climate change, we
have been assessing how the design of our national parks can take this into
account.

A prime example of this is the Namaqua National Park where we are currently
expanding the original Park, established around the well known Skilpad flower
site at Kamieskroon, through a corridor of properties down to the coast. I
would like to announce that we have already acquired the majority of the
corridor properties, and South African National Parks (SANParks) is currently
engaged in a discussion with De Beers with a view to the contractual
incorporation of the coastal area between the Groen and the Spoeg Rivers. It
has also recently been decided to expand the footprint of the Park across the
N7 into the Kamiesberg Range, south east of Kamieskroon.

The expanded footprint of this park will then not only allow us to include
the priority conservation areas of the coastal Sandveld and the mountainous
Kamiesberg Centre of Endemism, but will also give us a park with an altitudinal
variation from sea level to 1 600m above sea level. This will provide a greater
variety of habitats and thus reduce the risks to endemic species posed by
climate change trends. This is an important component of our planning
framework, particularly in the Succulent Karoo, which is the world's only arid
biodiversity hotspot. As you may be aware, the Succulent Karoo has around 6 500
plant species of which 40% are endemic.

With the acquisition of the corridor farms the Namaqua National Park now
expands to over 100 000 hectares. A second park to recently surpass the 100
000ha mark is the Tankwa National Park, also in the Succulent Karoo biome. The
recent acquisitions of new properties have brought in an important component of
the Tankwa River system, and more of the biologically important Roggeveld
Mountain escarpment. Again this provides necessary large expanses crucial for
conserving arid habitats, but also the altitudinal variation that builds
resilience as a key response to climate change risks.

I am also pleased to announce that our Department has allocated an annual
amount of R51 million to SANParks for the acquisition of land for the expansion
of national parks. Initiatives within this years programme include the
acquisition of a 3 700 ha property in the threatened lowland fynbos habitat for
inclusion into Agulhas National Park. In addition, another acquisition will
bring a component of the Riet River into the recently proclaimed Mokala
National Park.

Apart from the purchasing of land for incorporation into national parks, we
are also developing a number of initiatives towards the integration of
protected area and conservation management at a landscape level. In the Garden
Route for instance, SANParks have recently taken on the management of 100 000ha
of indigenous forests and mountain catchment areas. We are also in discussion
with the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry with a view to concluding a
full assignment of these areas to SANParks, which would lay the basis for the
proclamation of a Garden Route National Park by the end of March 2008. This
Park would incorporate the Tsitsikamma National Park, the Wilderness National
Park, the Knysna Lake Area, and the indigenous forests and mountain catchment
areas. This would lay a basis for the integrated management of the estuaries
and lake systems, fynbos areas, indigenous forests, and marine protected areas
that make up the Garden Route, and provide a platform for the engagement with a
range of private land owners and other stakeholders towards sustainable
development and conservation in the Garden Route.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we should be flexible and pro-active in our planning and
continuously integrate the latest scientific findings and practical experience
with our long term strategic frameworks. In the arena of conservation, we must
use the best ecological knowledge and understanding available to guide sensible
responses. We must learn to expect the unexpected, guided by the capacity to
assess how emerging climate change trends will impact our daily lives, what
adaptive responses are required, and how each of us can contribute to reducing
emissions. Globally, in South Africa and in every community we must all do more
and act with a greater sense of urgency. I would therefore like to challenge
this industry to further expand your focus and coverage of climate
issues.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the founders of this
festival, a group of 30 dedicated enthusiastic individuals who gathered
together in 2005 to shape the future of the industry. The initial members of
this group included Pallo Jordan - Minister of Arts and Culture, Eddie Mbalo -
CEO National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), Marcel Golding - CEO e.tv, Mark
Wild from Animal Planet and 20 wildlife filmmakers.

I believe that this festival will position South Africa as the primary
destination for discussion and conferencing on wildlife, travel and culture
filmmaking.

I thank you.

Enquiries:
Riaan Aucamp
Cell: 083 778 9923

Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
27 August 2007