 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Climate Change Summit
The government-hosted Summit was recently held at Midrand. We ran a few fairly well-attended side-events and had a stall in the exhibition centre. Who should turn up but the President and his entourage of Ministers!!.
Jessica had about 30 seconds to explain to him why climate change may put a strain on our ability to provide water for all ! (more about water and climate change later...)
Click this link for a copy of the offical Summit Declaration (146KB PDF)
Election time
We said... "We hope to see a Water Affairs ministry without Forestry and an Environmental Affairs without Tourism... and Minerals and Energy being split into two seperate departments"Yay! We got a new Department of Water and Environment Affairs... and an Energy Department de-linked from Mining.
A Centre for Environmental Rights proposed
South Africa has some very progressive policy and legislation protecting social and environmental rights. But using the law to assert these rights can be a complex and expensive business, and not always with a clear outcome... enough to put most NGOs off. In January 2009, the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) obtained funding from WWF’s Table Mountain Fund to scope the establishment of an environmental law centre, initially based in Cape Town, but with the possibility of expanding nationally. EMG is on the Steering Committee of this initiative.Based on a comprehensive process of consultation (the initiative has drawn wide support among NGOs and CBOs across the country), the proposed Centre for Environmental Rights will aim to “advance environmental rights using the law”, and will likely focus on four main areas of work:
> providing legal advice and support;
> promoting participation of NGOs and CBOs in licensing processes such as EIAs;
> providing relevant and up-to-date information (environmental legislation, judgements, etc.); and
> collaboration with other institutions and organisations.A three-year business plan for the Centre has been drafted and applications for funding are being submitted to a range of local and international institutions. Comments, queries and letters of support can be directed to the Project Consultant, Melissa Fourie, at mfourie@fastmail.fm.
EMG's Organisational Report: 2002-2007
After a gap of more than 6 years, we have finally published, in hard-copy, a bumper organisational report. Dedicated fans will, of course, know we have posted regular annual reports on this site -- but we don't advise you read them. The new bumper edition will tell you all you need to know about us and the work we do.For a FREE hardcopy email our Administrator Sandrae Hartle (sandrae@emg.org.za) with your name and postal address. Or simply download the PDF here.
You won't been disappointed. Here is what a few satisfied readers had to say...
"I honestly have to say I really enjoyed reading it. It was truly a great read. I also loved the layout and everything but especially the stories, trying to grip the essence of EMG, the heart. It is so very relevant. ""I got home after 12 last night and picked up the EMG report and read for over an hour... and I loved it. "" Just finished browsing your remarkable organizational review which has been put together in a style I have come to associate very much with EMG – creative, real and refreshing."And my mom really liked it too!I
Some other (not so new) publications
... the sustainable harvesting of wild rooibos tea
... our book on global warming
And updates on our work
... the latest on the Water Dialogues South Africa
... EMGs work in fair trade
... local dam-affected communities engage with World Commission on Dams recommendations
... all you need to know about the MDGs
Wild Rooibos TeaThe commercialy grown "Nortier" variety of rooibos tea is fast-growing and high-yielding, but less resistant to pests and drought than wild varieties. Because of the increasing market for rooibos, much of the specie's natural habitat has been put under intensive mono-crop cultivation and the only remaining habitat for wild tea is in the marginal mountainous areas. Like the wild tea, small-scale "coloured" farmers were also pushed into these mariginal areas by successive apartheid laws -- and now find themselves as custodians of the only remaining wild genetic stock of rooibos. EMG facilitated a programme of action-research with small-farmers of the Heiveld Co-op and Wupperthal Co-op to identify, characterise and map populations of wild tea. Wild rooibos is much in demand by European markets and attracts a high price, and the farmers were keen to develop a sustainable harvesting strategy -- but also to better understand the ecology of the plant in the wild and its response to a changing climate. The knowledge built up in this action-research programme has been collected in a publication. The English version of "The Sustainable Harvest of Wild Rooibos" is now available online (2MB PDF). Afrikaans hard-copies are available through EMG. Contact Noel Oettle at dryland@global.co.za A Brief Guide to Global WarmingThis light-weight, easy-to-read book about a hot and heavy-weight issue is sweeping the globe. We have LOTS more "good price" copies available at only R80-00 including postage. To order, email to Sandrea Hartle at sandrae@emg.org.za - or get it from your local book-store. Title: A Brief Guide to Global Warming .... And thanks to those of you who have been so kind about our little effort and have given us such encouraging feedback. One of those people is Brenda Martin, currently coordinating the 90 X 2030 Project, who says she keeps a copy of our little book in her bag at all times! Check out their informative and inspirational website. The Water Dialogues South AfricaLocal authorities all over the world face many challenges in ensuring effective, equitable and sustainable delivery of water and sanitation. Different approaches have been used to meet these challenges, with the involvement of the private sector perhaps the most controversial, and pitting the "water as a human right" activists against the "water as a commodity" technisists.... with little middle ground. In this context the Water Dialogues process came to life, as an initiative with a uniquely South African flavour, but one that is also part of an international process. The South African process is reaching its final phase... and should be wrapped up by the end of August 2009. The Working Group continues to meet regularly and a "Forum Meeting" involving a much wider audience, will be held before the project is wound up. The end of the formal Dialogues Process means the beginning of something new... of plans and strategies to begin effective multi-stakeholder advocacy based on the evidence accumulated. EMG has been active in helping to establish the South African Water Dialogue process, is represented on the International Working Group, and acts as the "acounting agent" for the Process. Contact Jessica Wilson at jessica@emg.org.za Fair tradeEMG has been helping the Association for Fairness in Trade (AFIT), a network formally launched in May 2005, to provide a platform for small-farmers and farmworker organisations to engage with the rapidly growing fair trade system in South Africa. At the recent AFIT Annual General Meeting in December 2008, the assembled members reaffirmed their committment to the network and its priorities -- and of course we are all delighted by the response of donors to our pleas for financial assistance. This year is set to be an exciting year of training, exchange visits and more effective lobbying and advocacy. EMG and AFIT have been working closely with Fair Trade South Africa and the Southern African Fairtrade Network, as well as with local FLO representatives. Contact Mandy Moussouris at mandy@emg.org.za The World Commission on Dams in South AfricaSubstantial amounts of time and energy have been sacrificed by many people through the South African Initiative on the WCD in proposing how we should integrate the findings of the World Commission on Dams (WCD) into South African national policy and practice. Despite this and despite the progress made, government seems unable or unwilling to walk the final stretch... to change the applicable legislation. We live in hope! In the meantime.... ...EMG continues to work closely with communities negatively affected by large dams -- who have been forced to leave their homes, fields and ancestral burial grounds over to make way dams, and often without any recognition or compensation -- in the name of the "greater common good". We have a collection of written and video material documenting some of the cases. Contact Thabang Ngcozela at thabang@emg.org.za MDGs??What are the Millennium Development Goals and why should you care? We don't think you should stop the important work you are doing, or change your focus to fit in with this particular international agreement. But we do think that the level of global political support for the MDGs may offer civil society organisations a range of opportunities -- be they funding, advocacy, mobilisation, etc..... EMG is happy to share with you our publication entitled The Millennium Development Goals: A guide for civil society. You can download it directly (220KB PDF). Hard copies are unfortunately no longer available. |
