Many moving events are happening in the build up to the most important conference ever on the future of this planet. Last week parliament's Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs devoted one and a half days to holding Climate Hearings. Here was a bumper full hall of colourful people from our rainbow nation – from all sectors and walks of life – pleading with the … [Read more...]
People’s Climate March: the day we changed history!
On 21 September 2014 nearly 400,000 people of all walks of life, economic status and nationalities, came together in one of the largest marches in a decade in New York, and one of the largest mobilisations for the environment ever! Most notable, whilst this was impressively large, global support for this event took place around the globe in over 3000 events in over 150 … [Read more...]
Russian nuclear deal the beginning of a downward spiral?
The shock announcement of an underhandedly-signed nuclear deal with Russia (where it was first announced) is of deep concern. Not least because so many organs of government, including our Energy Policy and the NDP, as well as the mainstream business media, think it will prove to be an extremely costly decision - financially, socially, environmentally and politically. The … [Read more...]
Dark day for democracy but petition signed by laureates
The Mandela, De Klerk, Tutu and Luthuli foundations will be writing to President Zuma appealing to him to intervene in order for the Dalai Lama to get a visa to attend the World Peace Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates next month. A further petitioning letter will be signed by former Nobel Peace Prize laureates and has already been signed by President Lech Walesa, Mairead … [Read more...]
‘Knowing Mandela’ to inspire the nation
I have never felt the need to read a book about Mandela, though I have always adored him. But by grace a little book came across my path … Knowing Mandela by John Carlin. Of course I want to learn more now, but I also suspect that having started with this one, it will be very hard to match. John was the South Africa correspondent of London’s Independent newspaper from 1990 … [Read more...]
Russia-Ukraine crisis seeps into UN climate talks
Ukraine is no longer allowed to cooperate with Russia at the UN climate talks, ending one of the firmest bonds around the negotiating table. The crisis between the two former Soviet states broke out earlier this year, when Russia annexed Crimea in response to Ukraine’s decision to pursue a closer relationship with the EU. Since then, Ukrainian negotiators have been … [Read more...]
Elections 2014 - who gets your green vote?
This week we will vote for the future of this country. If you are aware of climate change and other threats to our environment and therefore to our civilisation, it helps to take note of how the different parties plan to respond to these threats. What are they saying in their manifestos about: Energy and Climate change Water (services and resources) Mining and … [Read more...]
Afbrekende energiebeleid moet verander – Alliansie
Koolstofvrye hernubare energie maak net 12% van die energie uit wat wêreldwyd verbruik word, aldus die burgerregte-organisasie AfriForum op Aardedag. Fossielbrandstof word steeds gebruik vir 80% van die wêreld se energie en genereer 30 miljard metrieke ton se koolstofbesoedeling elke jaar. Bekende en toeganklike fossielbrandstofreserwes het in 2012 reeds meer as vyf keer … [Read more...]
Activists demand fundamental change in energy systems
Activists around the world welcomed the latest UN climate science panel's report by highlighting its passages on the need for fundamental change of energy systems. The report was greeted by a group of German climate justice activists holding banners and photos of protests and campaigns from the across the world. The campaigns are united by the Reclaim Power initiative, a … [Read more...]
Political will needed to make energy revolution happen in Africa
In view of the unfolding climate change news and statistics world wide, there is probably not a more important discussion to be had than that of energy. How are we going to change those systems which are destroying lives today and threatening all of us? We know that we have to recover from our dependence on fossil fuels, but how? Here Barbra Cowley speaks to one of our … [Read more...]
Calculating the Business Opportunity of a Kyoto Protocol
Slowly but surely, like it or not, the world is moving forward on climate change, with business now able to seriously calculate the implications of a low carbon economy. The recent Conference of Parties - or COP17 - meeting in Durban was its usual roller coaster ride, ending with a surprise commitment by most of the 200 countries which took part to continue the Kyoto … [Read more...]
Freedom of press under threat
Press freedom is once again seriously threatened. Please become informed and take action. Melanie Gosling (pictured) of the Cape Times wrote a story about the irregular tender and the findings of the Public Protector which included that: “the awarding of the tender to Sekunjalo Marine Service Consortium was improper” and that the “fisheries department had failed to deal with … [Read more...]
COP19 a “missed opportunity” for governments
As has become the tradition in the UN climate talks, the last day of the annual Conference of Parties (this year, COP19) stretched into the weekend. And as has become a tradition after the gavel’s sound marked the end of formal negotiations, our feelings couldn’t be more at odds with the relieved cheers and congratulatory remarks of exhausted government negotiators. Our … [Read more...]
