21 significant environmental successes

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WWF South Africa: Happy 21st birthday, South Africa

Posted on 27 April 2015

Celebrating a 21st birthday is a significant milestone, a sense of reaching adulthood – a time for reflection and celebration. WWF South Africa would like wish South Africa on its 21st democratic birthday by reflecting and celebrating 21 significant environmental successes in our country’s formative years.

Happy birthday South Africa, long may our collective maturity to protect our special environmental heritage continue!

In 1994, as the new democratic South Africa emerged so a bold constitution was developed in the years following so as to protect the rights of South Africa’s people and the precious land we all call home.

Two important environmental laws were passed in 1998 to protect both land and sea – the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and the Marine Living Resources Act (MLRA).

On 29 May 1998, Cape Town’s iconic mountain was protected for future generations as it was proclaimed as the Table Mountain National Park.

In 2001, the Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Programme (SKEP) identified conservation targets and a bold 20 year vision for the unique Succulent Karoo biodiversity hotspot.

A plastic bag levy was introduced in South Africa in 2003 to minimise the use of plastic shopping bags.

The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) was established in 2004 with an extended focus from plants under the National Botanical Institute to include all aspects of biodiversity – from ecosystems to species – thus supporting policies and decisions relating to South Africa’s rich biodiversity.

In 2004, the South African hake trawl fishery became the first fishery in Africa to be certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

In October 2007, South Africa’s ‘long-term mitigation scenarios’ were issued, a comprehensive and rigorous analysis of the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in South Africa which showed that we could peak, plateau and decline our emissions over the period to 2050.

From May 2009, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism was divided into two – Environmental Affairs and Tourism.

2009 saw the signing of the first ‘biodiversity agreement’ between land reform beneficiaries, the Mgundeni community, and the provincial conservation authority, KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife.

In January 2010, South Africa committed to cut its emissions, 34% by 2020 and 42% by 2025, below projected business as usual emissions, subject to finance and technology support from developed countries. This shows leadership within the context of United Nations climate negotiations since developing countries were not required to make any commitments.

In October 2011, following emission reduction targets set in early 2010 the National Climate Change Response White Paper was adopted, translating the stated intentions – 34% by 2020 and 42% by 2025 – into domestic policy and plans.

In November 2011, ‘Green Economy Accord’ signed by business, labour, community organisations and government. This accord set goals to create 300,000 new jobs in contribution to the government’s five-part ‘New Growth Path's’ objective of creating five million new jobs by 2020, and to double the country's clean energy generation.
Under the Integrated Coastal Management Act, South Africa banned the driving of 4X4 vehicles on beaches in 2011.

In Durban in December 2011, South Africa successfully hosted the 17th Congress of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

In May 2012, the government launched the mining and biodiversity guidelines to ensure strong guidelines in protection of critical landscapes and water source areas.

In August 2012, the National Development Plan put ‘ensuring environmental sustainability and an equitable transition to a low-carbon economy’ firmly on the country’s economic path.

South Africa’s first offshore marine protected area was declared around Prince Edward Island in April 2013. At the time of declaration it was the 7th biggest MPA in the world.

To encourage more skills in the environmental sector, the government launched ‘Groen Sebenza’ in June 2013. It is a major skills development and job creation pilot programme.

The Western Cape’s first nature reserve to be declared in two decades, in September 2014, was in the semi-arid biodiversity hotspot of the Succulent Karoo – the Knersvlakte – home to many small ‘vetplante’ and dwarf plants.

In early 2015, Operation Phakisa – a government initiative to unlock the ocean economy in South Africa – committed to protecting 5% of South Africa’s ocean territory compared to less than 1% currently.