World Day to Combat Desertification at Machubeni, Eastern Cape
20 June 2007
Programme Director
Honourable MEC for Economic Affairs, Environment and Tourism, Mr M Sogoni
Honourable Executive Mayor of Chris Hani District Municipality, Councillor M
Sigabi
Honourable Mayor of Emalahleni Local Municipality, Councillor N Lali
Officials from various departments
Members of the community
School learners
Ladies and gentlemen
Allow me to start by reminding you that it was Fathers' Day this past
Sunday. Lucky fathers received gifts for being pillars of strength to their
families. Renewal of love in any family is a good omen. It sustains
relationships for many years to come.
Now the question begging to be asked is: Do we have a special relationship
with our environment? We derive many benefits from the environment everyday.
This ranges from what we eat, dress, means of our transport and the origin of
anything you can imagine can be traced back to the environment as a source. Our
moral obligation is to take care of the environment � a simple thank you
gesture which all of us can do.
It was not by mistake that the United Nations declared this day as the World
Day to Combat Desertification. This decision was made in order to raise
awareness on the negative impacts that desertification and land degradation
have on human beings and the environment.
Ladies and Gentlemen, as we celebrate the World Day to Combat
Desertification we should ask ourselves a question as big commercial companies,
individuals, communities and government to check if we are doing enough to
protect the environment. This year's theme is 'Desertification and Climate
Change - One Global Challenge.' How are we contributing to reverse the effects
of desertification and global warming?
Ladies and gentlemen desertification and climate change are the world's most
alarming causes of environmental degradation. Desertification and climate
change are interlinked in multiple ways. They represent two faces of the global
environmental challenge of the 21st century.
Climate change has an influence on desertification through its impact on
dryland soil and vegetation, on the hydrological cycle in drylands, and
ultimately on human land use in that 40% of the land area of the globe
classified as dryland. A synergistic approach is therefore the most effective
way to tackle them. Desertification is a significant problem for South Africa,
threatening not only our ecological integrity, but the wellbeing of our people.
It impacts most severely on the poorest of the poor. Current climate change
trends threaten to exacerbate those social and environmental problems, while
desertification plays a significant role in increasing greenhouse gas emissions
and reducing carbon sinks. Many common solutions, rooted in sound sustainable
development practices, are needed to adapt to climate change and address
desertification.
Our climate is changing and the signs are evident. Let's accept the
responsibility and take action today to make a different tomorrow. In our
everyday life we can help by making changes, small or big to help protect our
health, safety and our environment.
Are big companies reducing hazardous greenhouse emissions which pollute the
atmosphere? Are they rehabilitating the land they generate huge profits from?
As communities, how responsible are we with the waste we generate? Is it dumped
at the designated areas? Do we plant trees to replace those we chop down for
wood? Are we following correct farming methods to combat soil erosion? Are
attitudes changing to those destroying the environment through veld fires,
usually from cigarettes butts?
Desertification results in acute shortages of food and drinking water which
mainly affects women and children living in rural areas as they largely depend
on the environment for their livelihoods. The United Nations Convention to
Combat Desertification and Land Degradation (UNCCD) is mobilising governments
of the world and multi-national institutions to combine efforts to fight
desertification and land degradation.
Our country has introduced several pieces of legislation such as the
Biodiversity Act which promote the conservation of biodiversity. Our goal to
conserve biodiversity and use it sustainably to meet our needs and those of the
future generations will not be successful if we do not double our efforts to
fight desertification and land degradation.
Through our department, the government has also initiated projects to care
for and protect the environment. One such program is Community Based Natural
Resources Management (CBNRM). CBNRM has already given birth to Machubeni
Catchments Management project which we are here to showcase in order to raise
public awareness on the importance of land rehabilitation. Other similar
projects exist in Madibaneng, in Sekhukhune (Limpopo province) and Mkhuzi in
KwaZulu Natal province. These projects have been funded to the tune of R40
million and we will be rolling out further projects throughout the country.
Partnerships with the private sector are also crucial for us to win the
battle against desertification and land degradation. To this effect, we are
finalising an agreement with Development Bank of Southern Africa that would
result in increased funding for CBNRM projects.
I would like to urge other institutions within the private sector to emulate
the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and respond to our call for
action to intensify our campaign to reverse the negative effects of
desertification and land degradation.
Harvesting of natural resources for livelihoods should be done sustainably.
All stakeholders should be capacitated to implement projects that embrace the
principles of sustainable development. Let us also remember that our beautiful
environment has already created thousands of jobs by attracting tourists into
our country.
We need to sustain this interest of over 8 million tourists who visit our
country each year to ensure continuous injection of much needed foreign
currency into our economy which in turn creates jobs. Figures of tourists who
prefer visiting South Africa keep on increasing.
If we neglect the environment, it will become less appealing and tourist
numbers will start to dwindle. We don't need this scenario. In the unlikely
event that it happens, many of us will not only lose jobs, but also the ability
to provide for our families.
In conclusion, the environment is like white blood cells which defend our
bodies against diseases. Once they surrender defeat to all sorts of attacks,
human life perishes. For our sake and to create a legacy which future
generations should proudly inherit, we need to spare no efforts in our fight to
protect the environment.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
20 June 2007
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.deat.gov.za)
