Historic firsts for South Africa as G20 adopts Cape Town Ministerial Declarations on crimes that affect the environment and air quality
South Africa has achieved two historic firsts under its G20 Presidency, with Environment and Climate Ministers today adopting the Cape Town Ministerial Declaration on Crimes that Affect the Environment and the Cape Town Ministerial Declaration on Air Quality.
Both issues have been placed on the G20 environmental agenda for the first time in the forum's history, signalling global recognition of their urgency and cross-cutting impact on people, ecosystems and economies.
"They speak to the daily realities of our citizens: the air they breathe, the safety of their natural heritage, and the rule of law that protects it. Under South Africa's Presidency of the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group, we brought these critical issues to the top of the global agenda, protecting our people and our environment, ensuring that justice and health walk hand in hand," said Dr Dion George, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
The Cape Town Ministerial Declaration on Crimes that Affect the Environment calls for stronger global cooperation to combat illegal wildlife trade, deforestation, mining, waste trafficking and other transnational crimes that undermine environmental security, societies and economic integrity.
The Cape Town Ministerial Declaration on Air Quality commits G20 members to foster synergies among different policies and sectors and mobilizing all sources of financial resources, improve data and monitoring, and scale up support for communities most affected by air pollution.
Together, the two Declarations mark a turning point in the global environmental agenda and reflect South Africa's leadership in linking environmental stewardship with social and economic wellbeing. Minister George added that the outcomes will inform the G20 Leaders' Declaration to be considered at next month's Summit in Johannesburg.
He concluded, "This is what leadership looks like: practical cooperation that improves lives and strengthens the link between nature, people and prosperity. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu reminded us, we remain prisoners of hope, steadfast in the belief that each act of cooperation brings us closer to the world we want to see."
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E-mail: cwilken@dffe.gov.za
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