nvironment high on Makana’s agenda
Two important meetings focussed on the local environment and environmental activities have taken place in the municipality recently.
nvironment high on Makana’s agenda
Two important meetings focussed on the local environment and environmental activities have taken place in the municipality recently.
A well attended and very diverse meeting of the Makana Environmental Forum took place on Tuesday 16 March, and an external stakeholders meeting to discuss the potential for implementation of the ‘Green City Concept’ (see below) for Makana was held on Thursday 18 March.
Such events, in addition to initiatives such as the proposed wind farm at Waainek, and numerous ground-level environmental activities conducted by the university and civil society organisations, indicate the growing profi le that environment is developing in the area.
This is all very encouraging, but, as we all know, there is a long way to go before we achieve the quality of environment (and quality of life) that we all wish for the citizens of the this municipality.
However there are signs of a growing groundswell of citizen concern about and involvement in environmental issues, and not just at the local level.
Following the debacle of the Copenhagen Climate Summit, citizens around the world have recognised that the environment is far too important to be left to the machinations of politicians and their corporate backers.
The Hopenhagen group, set up to provide a citizens’ voice at the summit, is more determined than ever to mobilise people all over the world to make the changes that are necessary, with or without the support of political leaders.
One leader, President Evo Morales of Bolivia is setting up a People’s World Conference (see below) where the world’s citizens can themselves debate and agree on the way forward for society in relation to climate change and issues facing the planet.
The Green City Concept
The idea of greening cities has been around for a while, and is one way to approach sustainable urban management, taking into account the environment in all aspects of urban life.
Many of these principles are embedded in the environmental protocols (or guidelines) that were developed to support Makana’s IDP. The Makana Local Economic Development (LED) Director, Riana Meiring, introduced some of the ideas that are being discussed in the municipality.
These include the notion of green jobs employment linked to environmentally appropriate activities which the national government is keen to support and which hold the promise of a far more sustainable approach to job creation that the conventional industrial/ manufacturing model.
They can also be linked to activities that reduce climate impact. Green jobs are also part of a larger concept of a green economy, where economic development draws on and enhances the natural environmental resources of an area.
Some of the specifi c ideas being generated by the municipality include sustainable energy developments; appropriate industries, such as kaolin mining and brick-making; sustainable transport systems; clean production technologies; energy effi cient housing; and a more service-based economy.
Makana is proposing a four-stage strategy: preparation; situational analysis; vision; and implementation, to take the process further.
Following this introductory discussion there was a combined presentation by Janice Limson, Mike Powell and Alex Cech on environmentally sustainable projects which could address environmental issues, create jobs and develop the local economy.
One of these is the removal of invasive alien plants (IAPs) to improve water catchment and biodiversity, while fueling a small electricity power plant to complement other alternative and sustainable energy sources.
The second proposal was for the establishment of a Makana biofuel plant, based on sugar beet, which could be grown on a large scale by local communities. We are therefore very well placed to make the Green City concept work.
