DRAFT DISCUSSION DOCUMENT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHAMPIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENT FOUNDATION (CEF) IN SOUTH AFRICA
by Mr HB Holomisa, MP
INTRODUCTION
In line with other parts of the world, the environment is moving closer to the centre of the socio-political stage in South Africa. However, the South African situation is different in the sense that heightened environmental concern coincides with a period of social- and political transition. Through the transitory period and beyond, several challenging and durable themes are likely to remain at the centre of environmental management in South Africa.
Some of these are:
1. Population and resources.
2. Land distribution and management.
3. Urbanisation and cities.
4. Management institutions.
5. Pollution and Waste Management.
Human population growth and absolute numbers are often seen to be the most fundamental threat to sustained development and the environment in South Africa. However, the relationship between population and resources in the environment is complex and needs to be considered very carefully before any inferences to one or the other can be made. From a conservative environmental position, the management of resource use and environmental impact are central. However, from the perspective of material and political disadvantage, improved living and working conditions and access to resources and the systems that mediate their distribution are often the environmental priorities.
Of the many issues that confront environmental managers in South Africa, land is probably the most emotionally and politically charged. Beyond the pivotal issue of land distribution, there are many complex areas of land management policy and practice that remain to be argued openly and in detail.
Among these are:
1. State, private sector, community, traditional leaders and individual roles in land management.
2. The extent and nature of rural development and the case for affirmative action.
3. Socio-politically and environmentally appropriate systems of land tenure and the manner in which to implement tenure reform.
4. Short- and long-term mechanisms for the resolution of conflict over rural and urban land.
A realm of potential conflict is that which lies at the interface between the imperatives of conservation and those of resource-poor communities. An emerging orthodoxy stresses the need to link conservation with socio-economic development, by allowing proximate communities to have sustainable access to the life-supporting and income-earning potential of nature reserves and other protected areas. This may indeed be an equitable answer to a growing concern, but the issue should not be reduced to a “one or the other” scenario.
Population and resources, and land distribution will remain areas of challenge and opportunity through the current period of socio-political change. The environmental and socio-political needs are to deal with the material and perceived legacy of apartheid. In environmental management terms, this might mean a shift in focus to living and working environments, and to land reform. Past discriminatory policy has added a layer of complexity in South Africa, but there are also several factors that give this Country a potential environmental management edge on a number of Third World nations. These include an economy with considerable promise, a depth of skills, management ability and achievement in environmental and related fields, growing environmental mobilisation, and a socio-political “window of opportunity” as structures and relationships are changed and remoulded.
In recognition of problems highlighted above, I initiated a process of developing and updating national environmental policy in 1995, during my tenure as Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, with the full support of the members of the then Portfolio Committee of Environment such as Messrs Mahlangu, Moorcraft, September, Chalmers and Cassim to mention but a few. The process was launched by the then President N Mandela at the Consultative Conference on National Environmental Policy (CONNEP) on 17 and 18 August 1995 during which a remarkable group of individuals – leaders from Government departments, business, environmental, civil rights, traditional leaders, religious leaders, labour community based organisations and non-governmental organisations met to discuss environmental policy needs and an appropriate process for drawing up a national environmental policy. Indeed, all the participants agreed that we needed an all-inclusive policy away from the apartheid environmental policy which is sadly still written in some topographical areas of South Africa especially in the former homelands, informal settlements and townships. However, debates in some areas had been characterised by confrontation and mistrust. We spent many hours searching for a path toward agreement. Finally a new environmental policy was promulgated by our Parliament last year. The challenge that lies ahead now for all South Africans is to implement the said policy. Because the politics of mistrust are the greatest obstacle to the process of innovation and the changes that we all believe is necessary to achieve the goals we share, I would strongly recommend that the proposed Foundation for the Champions of Environment’s Board of Trustees be inclusive as far as possible to represent all stake-holders while retaining its autonomy.
The environment issue is of critical national and international importance. The threats to the survival of our environment and the people who inhabit it make the issue a top national priority. The socio-economic implications of the destruction or degradation of our environment imposes a serious obligation on everybody to play his or her part to protect our environment. Environmental concerns require a holistic and non-political approach because it affects all players, irrespective of social standing. Any activities by anybody that harm the environment impact on the lives of all people of South Africa. The task of saving our environment calls for the elevation of the problem as a priority that warrants a national “Marshall Plan” to save our national heritage by identifying, building and rewarding individuals, institutions and agencies as Champions of the Environment that will place our national endeavour at environmental protection on par with other international awareness and educational campaigns.
Individual politicians from all political parties should be free to participate and contribute towards the success of the Foundation’s mission. The representatives from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Department of Culture, Science and Technology and Department of Education should also be invited as ex-officio members of the Board.
Finally, creating a better future depends in part, on the knowledge and involvement of citizens and on a decision-making process that embraces and encourages differing perspectives of those affected by governmental policy. I hope that this proposed foundation will succeed in creating educational media campaigns to encourage South African’s participation in environmental matters that affect their daily lives. I now call upon all those who are interested in this initiative not to hesitate to contribute towards the success of the Foundation’s mission.
PREAMBLE
Whereas many inhabitants of South Africa still live in conditions of poverty, environmental pollution and degraded environmental resources;
Everyone has a Constitutional right to an environment which is not detrimental to his/her health, or well-being and to have such right protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that;
- prevent pollution and ecological degradation
- promote conservation and create a national code of conduct backed by appropriate legislation to ensure humane treatment of animal populations;
- secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while
- promoting justifiable economic and social development.
and whereas the Government of the Republic requires the active support of all people to respect and protect these rights
now the people of South Africa have decided to establish the CHAMPIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENT FOUNDATION (CEF) in an effort to realise these Constitutional objectives.
VISION
To be the foremost promoter of Champions of Environment in all sectors of society of the Republic of South Africa and ultimately the whole of Africa.
MISSION
To identify, support and reward Champions of Environment in all sectors of South Africa and to harness resources in the promotion of sound environmental science, technologies and management.
AIMS
The Foundation will continuously scan the strategic environment of the Republic and encourage all South Africans to respond appropriately to the impacts of such environment on them. Specific aims directed at the components of the strategic environment are the following.
1. The Political Environment
The foundation aims to promote
1.1. the maximum participation of all political parties in parliament in the achievement of its goals and objectives;
1.2. the promulgation of appropriate environmental management policies, strategies, laws and regulations by the government;
1.3. co-operative and harmonised governance between the different levels of Government in the field of environmental management;
1.4. the allocation of appropriate resources by Government for addressing national-, regional- and local environmental management issues and problems and;
1.5. the transformation of environmental management in South Africa, taking into account all components of our strategic environment.
2. The Legal/Administrative Environment
The foundation aims to promote
2.1. respect for and the protection of environmental human legal rights as reflected in the Constitution of the Republic;
2.2. the establishment of achievable environmental legal performance standards;
2.3. compliance with the provisions of environmental laws and regulations and;
2.4. fair decision-making in environmental law enforcement.
3. The Technological Environment
The foundation aims to promote
3.1. and support research into and the development of appropriate environmental technologies to prevent pollution and ecological degradation;
3.2. and encourage the policy principle of Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) in technology selection;
3.3. and support the use of technologies for waste minimisation;
3.4. and support technologies focused on optimising the recycling and re-use of valuable waste materials
4. The Business/Financial Environment
The foundation aims to promote
4.1. the implementation of internationally recognised environmental management systems and business practices by private enterprise in South Africa;
4.2. and support a risk averse approach to environmental management;
4.3. environmental awareness and competence in business management;
4.4. employee empowerment and capacity building in environmental management in business enterprises and;
4.5. awareness of the financial benefits associated with sound environmental management practices.
5. The Economic Environment
The foundation aims to promote
5.1. awareness and competency in environmental economics;
5.2. promote an understanding of the importance of integrated environmental management in advancing South Africa’s economy
5.3. the internalisation of economic externalities and an awareness of “green” investments and investors in the South African economy and;
5.4. the acceptance and implementation of appropriate environmental management performance standards by South African enterprises to remain competitive in the international economic field.
6. The Social Environment
The foundation aims to promote
6.1. an awareness and understanding of societies’ environmental rights and obligations;
6.2. community participation in environmental management at the local, regional and national level;
6.3. the involvement of interested and affected parties in environmental development planning and implementation projects;
6.4. an equitable distribution of environmental resources with a specific focus on the youth and women;
6.5. the compilation of social impact assessments for development projects and;
6.6. focus on the human being as the most important change agent and component of the environment.
7. The Cultural/Historical/Traditional/Religious Environment
The foundation aims to promote
7.1. respect for and the protection of South Africa’s diverse Cultural/Historical/Traditional/Religious heritage;
7.2. the conservation and protection of the Nation’s cultural/ historical/ traditional/ religious resources and
7.3. and encourage the responsible management of environmental diversity.
8. The Natural Environment
The foundation aims to promote
8.1. the recognition of the human resource as the most important natural environmental resource;
8.2. the conservation and protection of environmental natural resources for the benefit of all South Africa’s people;
8.3. the rational and appropriate utilisation of South Africa’s natural resources for the economic advancement of all the people of the country and
8.4. the conservation of biological diversity and special measures for the protection of sensitive ecosystems, places of scenic beauty and rare and endangered species of wildlife.
9. The International Environment
The foundation aims to promote
9.1. and encourage the participation of the South African public and private sectors in the drafting, signing and ratification of bilateral, multilateral, sub-regional, regional, continental and international agreements, conventions, treaties, protocols and other legal instruments for the protection and appropriate utilisation of natural environmental resources and sound environmental management taking into account the special needs of developing countries;
9.2. bilateral, multilateral, sub-regional and regional co-operation in the protection of shared valued environmental assets for the benefit of the region’s peoples;
9.3. international co-operative research into and development and application of appropriate environmental management systems and technologies for developing countries and;
9.4. the design, development and implementation of appropriate, environmental management performance standards for developing countries.
ACTIVITIES
The Foundation will concentrate its activities in two major areas as explained below:
1. Identifying and Rewarding Environmental Management Champions
In the identification and rewarding of outstanding environmental management performance, the Foundation will recognise contributions from the following categories:
- Individuals;
- Groups (youth, women, etc.);
- Communities;
- Non-governmental Organisations;
- Educational (primary, higher and tertiary);
- Organs of State including Local-, Provincial- and Central Government authorities;
- Small-, medium- and macro enterprises.
Each category could be subdivided into smaller entities down to the individual level.
Opportunities for participation could be arranged through invitations for submission of examples of outstanding environmental management performance, development and application of innovative technologies, significant research contributions etc. Competitions could also be arranged wherever and whenever appropriate.
Rewards could be in the form of certificates, cash prizes, bursaries, study tours or continued support for promising prize-winning endeavours.
For each reward a set of fair evaluation criteria should be designed and developed by knowledgeable people. Respected and competent evaluation panels could be constituted for the purpose of allocating rewards.
2. Harnessing of Resources
The second area on which the Foundation will focus its activities will be the harnessing of resources in promoting appropriate environmental management research, technology and training. In this regard the Foundation will concentrate on the following:
a) canvassing support, funds, equipment and materials from the private sector;
b) canvassing support, funds, equipment and materials from international donor countries, institutions and United Nations organisations;
c) canvassing support and funds from national and international foundations, which promote sound environmental management;
d) canvassing support and funds from organs of State in order to rationalise the utilisation of scarce resources.
Funds, equipment and materials collected by the Foundation will be allocated to deserving institutions for conducting appropriate environmental applied research, designing, developing and verifying the application of appropriate innovative environmental technologies as well as environmental management empowerment and capacity-building training programmes. In the allocation of resources, previously disadvantaged institutions and individuals will be given preference.
In the selection of programmes for support the Foundation will focus on the environmental perspectives of government’s policies of transformation including the following initiatives.
a)Poverty relief;
b)Job creation;
c)Integrated sustainable rural development;
d)Integrated pollution and waste management;
e)Community awareness of environmental rights and obligations;
f)Awareness of environmental rights and obligations amongst workers, learners and students;
g) Community involvement in environmental management issues and aspects;
h)Appropriate applied research projects involving the unemployed and previously disadvantaged individuals to solve environmental management problems;
i)Research into and the development and verification of appropriate innovative environmental technologies for developing countries;
j)Appropriate environmental management empowerment and capacity-building training programmes involving the unemployed graduates from tertiary educational institutions;
k)Support for the accommodation of United Nations Environment Programme training institutions such as the Basel Convention Institute and the Africa Training Centre for Environmental Management and the involvement of other African tertiary education and training institutions in expanding the activities of such institutions.
MANAGEMENT
The strategic management of the Foundation will be in the hands of a Board of Trustees consisting of eminent persons representing the following interests:
a) Individual politicians;
b) organs of State, as ex-officio members;
c)organised business and industry;
d) communities;
e) education and training institutions;
f)donor organisations and foundations;
g) individuals with specific environmental management expertise;
h)women and youth representatives.
i) traditional leaders
j) religious institutions
k) labour.
An interim committee consisting of environmentalists and other interest groups who will decide on the appointments will invite nominations for appointment on the Board of Trustees.
As a first task, the Board will write a constitution and establish the administrative and financial rules for the foundation.
ADMINISTRATION
The Board of Trustees should be administered as a non-profit making entity. At first the administration of the Foundation should be in the hands of a Board appointed staff consisting of an Executive Officer, a Secretary and a Financial Manager. Further administrative services could be provided by a chosen institute, which has the knowledge and capacity on environmental issues, such as Rhodes University and Delta Environmental Centre.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The establishment of a Foundation for Champions of Environment is both timely and opportune in view of the need for co-operative support for the environmental perspectives of the government’s policies of transformation and the transformation. A collective initiative will ensure the correct status for such an important body and will send an unambiguous message to the people of the world of the seriousness with which all South Africans approach our environment.
Enquiries:
HB Holomisa, MP
082-552-4156
e-mail: holomisa@dev.udm.org.za
Pretoria
Tel: 012-321-0010
Fax: 087-941-9053