MDG 7 : Ensuring Environmental Sustainability

1. MDG 7 : Ensuring Environmental Sustainability Presentation to Portfolio Committee 29 June 2011

2. Summary of problem statement • Generally, South Africa’s environment is deteriorating and the potential climate change impacts cannot be ignored • Ecosystem failure will seriously compromise our ability to address social and economic priorities even in a short term • Natural resources are national economic assets and SA economy depends heavily on energy and mineral resources, biodiversity, agriculture, forestry, fishing and eco-tourism 22

3. Areas of concern • Water demand is expected to rise by 52% over the next 30 years while supply is likely to decline if current trends persist • Impact of industrial activities on the environment and natural resources • Poor waste management and lack of access to waste services still persist • The severity of wastewater pollution in the marine environment has continued to grow • Unplanned and uncontrolled coastal development continues to pose severe threats to ecosystem health • Land degradation remains a serious challenge

4. State and trends • WATER AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY • The country have less water available, of poorer quality than before • Almost all exploitable sources are tapped, resulting in decreased freshwater flows in rivers • There are deficits in available water in more than half of the water management areas. • Water quality is variable, with some deterioration since the last state of the environment report. • Inadequate controls over pollution and land-use practices have led to a significant proportion of our exploitable water resources being degraded

5. State and trends • MARINE AND COASTAL RESOURCES • As much as 40% of South Africa’s population lives within 100 km of the coast. There is substantial development pressure for infrastructure • Daily discharge of wastewater into the marine environment increased by 62% between 2001 and 2006 • Number of SA blue flag beaches that meet 14 water quality, environmental education and information, safety and services criteria increased from 4 in 2001 to 23 (November 2010)

6. State and trends • INDUSTRIALIZATION • An example is that more than 200 000 hectares of natural habitat have been transformed by mining activities • Mining lowers the quality of surface water by releasing chemical contaminants which in turn affect all living biota in water • Air pollution from energy industry can cause damage to human health and have ecosystem impacts from greenhouse gas emissions and the release of dust particulates

7. State and Trends • CLIMATE CHANGE • Absolute temperature has increased by about 0.6 °C over the last century. • During much of the last decade, annual ambient temperatures were higher than the long-term average. • Global temperatures will likely rise a further 1.1 to 6.4 °C during the 21st century

8. Millennium Development Goals Adopted in 2000 and set to be achieved by 2015, the MDGs provide concrete, numerical benchmarks for tackling extreme poverty in its many dimensions The eight MDGs break down into 21 quantifiable targets that are measured by 60 indicators

9. Target Indicator 7.A: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources 7.1 Proportion of land area covered by forest 7.2 CO2 emissions, total, per capita and per $1 GDP (PPP) 7.3 Consumption of ozone-depleting substances 7.4 Proportion of fish stocks within safe biological limits 7.5 Proportion of total water resources used 7.B: Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss 7.6 Proportion of terrestrial and marine areas protected 7.7 Proportion of species threatened with extinction MDG Goal 7: Environmental sustainability

10. Target 7 7.C: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation 7.8 Proportion of population using an improved drinking water source 7.9 Proportion of population using an improved sanitation facility 7.D: By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers 7.10 Proportion of urban population living in slums   MDG Goal 7: Environmental sustainability

11. MDG Facts and figures

13. Protected areas

15. Logical links between environmental sustainability and economic activities • Economic development depends on a sustainably managed environment and natural resource base • Enablers of implementation • Medium Term Strategic Framework 2009 -2014 • Government 12 Outcomes approach • New Growth Path NFSD systems approach to sustainability

16. Logical links between environmental sustainability and economic activities…continues • National climate change policy • National Water Resource Strategy • 10 Year Innovation Plan • Integrated Energy Plan and Integrated Resource Plan • Fiscal and Market-based Instruments • National Skills Development Strategy 3 • Infrastructure network • Green cities and towns programme

17. Conclusions from the MDG report • Environmental sustainability underpins the achievement of the majority of the other seven goals. • Analyses reveal that environmental reservation is an essential foundation for sustainable development and poverty alleviation. • However, current indications suggest that the timetable for implementing the indicators of MDG 7 will not be met in South Africa. To reverse the situation, greater effort is required to deal with the complex environmental issues to achieve the broader sustainability goals.

18. Conclusion • South Africa will continuously integrate the principles of sustainable development into policies and programmes • In achieving the Millennium Development Goals, SA will require continuous interventions at international, regional, national and local level

19. END THANK YOU