Indalo Yethu: Save Tomorrow, Today

60th AMEU CONVENTION

Muhloti Russell Baloyi

WEDNESDAY 17 OCTOBER 2007

Introduction

South African environmental awareness & endorsement campaign

Legacy of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg 2002

Established by Government through the Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism (DEAT)

• Government initiative

• Independent and works with Government, Civil Society and Business

ENDORSEMENT

EDUCATION & AWARENESSOFFERING 1:

OFFERING 2:

THE OFFERING

water

wastepollution

energybiodiversity

Product lifecycle

greening/

eco-friendly

Support systems

Economic and social factors

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

1972:Stockholm, UN Conf

on Human Environment

1987:Brundtland Commission

‘Our Common Future’ - SD

1992:Rio Conference - Agenda 21

1997:Kyoto Protocol of UN Framework

Convention on Climate Change

2000:UN Millennium Summit - MDGs

2006:An Inconvenient Truth

2007:Indalo Yethu

2002:WORLD SUMMIT 2002

2007:Nobel Peace Prize, WEF, High Level Talks

YOU AREHERE

Why are we here?

Everything is connectedWe are not

separate from our environment

SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT• South Africa is the largest emitter of GHGs in Africa

• We are a developing country and rated amongst developed countries in relation to GHG emissions

• Part of the United Nations and committed to various international agreement, CSD, UNFCCC, MDG’s, etc

• Power failure

• Electricity Backlog

• Reliance on coal powered electricity

• Best practices emerging & THERE IS HOPE

• Power station going off line & reconnection

South African Context

WORLD ANNUAL %s GDP:CO2 1960-1990

-6.00

-4.00

-2.00

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

%

WORLD TOTAL CO2 WORLD TOTAL GDP

The close link between energy use and economic growth

EXTRACTING ENERGY

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT PROBLEMS

ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

• When coal is burned as fuel, it gives off carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas that is linked with global warming.

• Burning coal also produces emissions, such as sulfur, nitrogen oxide (NOx), and mercury, that can pollute the air and water.

• Sulfur mixes with oxygen to form sulfur dioxide (SO2), a chemical that can affect trees and water when it combines with moisture to produce acid rain.

ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

• Mercury that is released into the air eventually settles in water.

• The mercury in the water can build up in fish and shellfish, and can be harmful to animals and people who eat them.

• Legislation require industries to reduce pollutants released into the air and the water.

• Emissions of nitrogen oxide help create smog, and also contribute to acid rain.

COAL-NON RENEWABLE ENERGY

Coal is a nonrenewable energy source because it takes millions of years to create.

The energy in coal comes from the energy stored by plants that lived hundreds of millions of years ago, when the earth was partly covered with swampy forests.

OUR VISION

Sustainable SolutionsFor Reducing Environmental Impact

• Legislative environment is conducive

• Demand Side Management and Energy Efficiency

• Open the grid for independent power producers, renewable energy in particular

• Encourage decentralized generation systems to complement National power plants

• Lobby for point of consumption generation sell back schemes

• Move beyond demonstration = roll out

Way Forward

• Explore possible partnership and collaborations around energy awareness raising and capacity building

• Promote & show case your environmental commitment

• Share your experience through our website

• Do your bit and tell others to do their bit

• UNFCC in Born, Germany

www.indaloyethu.co.za