Date: 13/09/2004
Source: Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Title: R Mabudafhasi: Launch of National Atmospheric Preservation Week
SPEECH BY R MABUDAFHASI AT THE LAUNCH OF NATIONAL ATMOSPHERIC PRESERVATION WEEK, Rustenburg, 13 September 2004
Programme Director
MEC for Agriculture, Duma Ndlela
Honourable Mayor for the Rustenburg Municipality, Rre Mabe
National and Provincial Government Officials
Councillors present
Distinguished guest
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is exactly two weeks after our second leg of the historic World Summit on Sustainable Development was held in Johannesburg with the aim to review the targets of the WSSD's Implementation Plan. Also, to look at the challenges and the achievements after the world had met on behalf of all of us to discuss among other issues, how our beautiful planet can be preserved.
At the World Summit on Sustainable Development we witnessed the heads of States from different countries of the world signing the political declaration of the summit in Johannesburg, the outcomes of which included amongst others a statement that has reference to this day.
The celebration of the National Atmospheric Preservation Week, which starts today, 13 September 2004 under the theme: Save Our Sky: Ozone Friendly Planet, Our Target, which has been adopted from this year's Ozone Layer Celebration Theme.
Environmental issues, especially pollution and waste management are taking their rightful places in the development agenda of our country. It is imperative upon all of us to take part in ensuring that we keep our country clean and free of pollution and waste. I therefore, Ladies and Gentlemen, am very pleased that I am part of this gathering, which is of high importance to all of us now and to the future generations tomorrow.
On Tuesday I was, on behalf of my department debating the Air Quality Bill in the National Assembly in Cape Town. During that debate I said, we have all been fitted with very efficient air quality monitoring devices and we have never needed to be trained on how to use these devices. I am talking about our noses - we know when air is not fit to breathe, we can tell the difference between clean air and foul smells. We are all air quality monitors. Now it is time for us to become air quality managers.
Programme Director, before we talk about the purpose of our meeting here today we should perhaps reflect on the gaps and failures of our existing legislation. Although these failures seem obvious when breathing the foul air in some parts of South Africa, we should recall that the current Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act (APPA) was passed in 1965 - decades before we knew anything about global climate change, ozone depletion, or poisonous persistent pollutants. Although APPA may have been adequate to manage air quality in "one-industry towns" it has not kept pace with industrial development and is now hopelessly outdated.
When Government's Integrated Pollution and Waste Management Policy was published in 2000 our air quality management legislation fell sharply under the spotlight. After exploring whether it might be possible to 'tweak' APPA, it soon became clear that entirely new legislation was required. Together with our provincial partners, our department began drafting this new legislation - first published for public comment in 2003. Following workshops in all nine provinces, the Bill was revised and submitted to the NCOP where it was passed in late 2003.
In February this year, the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs & Tourism held public hearings on the Bill.
During these hearings it became apparent that the Bill is long overdue. The excellent comments made during the hearings by industry, communities, and public interest groups alike, convinced the committee that some revisions were necessary. Given the imminent elections however, they were faced with a dilemma - either to pass the Bill un-amended, or to let the process begin afresh after the elections. Fortunately a middle-path was found, the Bill has been reactivated, and is now before you today.
In the months following the public hearings, our department conducted meetings with all those parties who made presentations to the committee and has crafted a comprehensive set of amendments to the Bill. Although it is not possible to meet the concerns of every individual or group, there appears to be broad consensus among stakeholders that the amendments have greatly improved the Bill. The Bill has been discussed and supported by Parliament and now will be tabled before the national Council of Provinces, before it is signed by the President as an Act.
The Atmospheric Week
It is the government's responsibility to ensure that awareness is raised for all people of this country to understand air quality issues and impacts to their daily lives. It is for this reason that every year in September, the department facilitates the Atmospheric Week, which is aimed at raising awareness on atmospheric issues like global climate change, ozone layer protection, weather service provision and general air quality issues in South Africa. This week coincides with the commemoration of the international day for the preservation of the ozone layer, which is celebrated on the 16th of September.
The Rustenburg Air Quality Management Plan
We are proud to say that the department fully supports initiatives like the one taken by Rustenburg Local Municipality in developing an Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP). To this end the legislation places an obligation on all organs of state charged with implementation of the air quality legislation to develop Air Quality Management Plan.
The rationale behind this is to enable authorities to consciously address air quality issues in their development plans. At local level, the Bill provides for these to be developed as part of Integrated Development Plans (IDPs). Given the fact that historically, there was no cooperation between authorities, industry and the public, Air Quality Management Plans seek to redress this by allowing consultation and cooperation between all parties in developing and implementing plans that will address air quality issues for the benefit of all parties concerned.
According to the proposed air quality legislation the AQMP must seek to:
* improve air quality to identify and reduce the negative impact of poor air quality in human health and the environment
* address the effects of emissions from industrial sources, from the burning of fossil fuels and emissions from other sources other than those already mentioned
* give effect to best practice in air quality management.
The Air Quality Management Plan must also describe how the relevant authority will give effect to its air quality management plan.
My department is therefore willing to support and use Rustenburg Local Authority as a pilot for development of Air Quality Management Plans, with the hope of using lessons learnt in Rustenburg in other provinces in the country.
Work in Progress
In preparation for smooth and effective implementation of the bill the department has embarked on a number of processes aimed at giving teeth to the air quality bill and at capacitating local and provincial authorities for the implementation of the Air Quality Act.
One of such initiatives is the setting of ambient air quality standards, which the department initiated in 2002, where a group of air quality experts from industry, government, NGOs got together to draft the first set ever of standards in South Africa. The standards are currently being reviewed internally before they are published for public comments.
A vehicle emissions strategy that seeks to control emissions from vehicles is also being developed jointly by DEAT and the Department of Minerals and Energy, and was published for public comments in November 2003. I am convinced that these initiatives and the associated cooperation and consultation between stakeholders will provide the means to properly deal with the air pollution problems many of our people have to deal with every day of their lives.
Conclusion
Honourable Mayor, legislation like the Air Quality Bill is why South Africa is regarded as a global leader in environmental protection and sustainable development best-practice. It embodies our commitment to improving the lives of our people, and strengthening the health of our shared future. The Air Quality Management Plan Planning is an important factor of air quality management to ensure that our wonderful legislation is properly implemented by all responsible parties.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
13 September 2004
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.environment.gov.za)
Source: Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Title: R Mabudafhasi: Launch of National Atmospheric Preservation Week
SPEECH BY R MABUDAFHASI AT THE LAUNCH OF NATIONAL ATMOSPHERIC PRESERVATION WEEK, Rustenburg, 13 September 2004
Programme Director
MEC for Agriculture, Duma Ndlela
Honourable Mayor for the Rustenburg Municipality, Rre Mabe
National and Provincial Government Officials
Councillors present
Distinguished guest
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is exactly two weeks after our second leg of the historic World Summit on Sustainable Development was held in Johannesburg with the aim to review the targets of the WSSD's Implementation Plan. Also, to look at the challenges and the achievements after the world had met on behalf of all of us to discuss among other issues, how our beautiful planet can be preserved.
At the World Summit on Sustainable Development we witnessed the heads of States from different countries of the world signing the political declaration of the summit in Johannesburg, the outcomes of which included amongst others a statement that has reference to this day.
The celebration of the National Atmospheric Preservation Week, which starts today, 13 September 2004 under the theme: Save Our Sky: Ozone Friendly Planet, Our Target, which has been adopted from this year's Ozone Layer Celebration Theme.
Environmental issues, especially pollution and waste management are taking their rightful places in the development agenda of our country. It is imperative upon all of us to take part in ensuring that we keep our country clean and free of pollution and waste. I therefore, Ladies and Gentlemen, am very pleased that I am part of this gathering, which is of high importance to all of us now and to the future generations tomorrow.
On Tuesday I was, on behalf of my department debating the Air Quality Bill in the National Assembly in Cape Town. During that debate I said, we have all been fitted with very efficient air quality monitoring devices and we have never needed to be trained on how to use these devices. I am talking about our noses - we know when air is not fit to breathe, we can tell the difference between clean air and foul smells. We are all air quality monitors. Now it is time for us to become air quality managers.
Programme Director, before we talk about the purpose of our meeting here today we should perhaps reflect on the gaps and failures of our existing legislation. Although these failures seem obvious when breathing the foul air in some parts of South Africa, we should recall that the current Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act (APPA) was passed in 1965 - decades before we knew anything about global climate change, ozone depletion, or poisonous persistent pollutants. Although APPA may have been adequate to manage air quality in "one-industry towns" it has not kept pace with industrial development and is now hopelessly outdated.
When Government's Integrated Pollution and Waste Management Policy was published in 2000 our air quality management legislation fell sharply under the spotlight. After exploring whether it might be possible to 'tweak' APPA, it soon became clear that entirely new legislation was required. Together with our provincial partners, our department began drafting this new legislation - first published for public comment in 2003. Following workshops in all nine provinces, the Bill was revised and submitted to the NCOP where it was passed in late 2003.
In February this year, the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs & Tourism held public hearings on the Bill.
During these hearings it became apparent that the Bill is long overdue. The excellent comments made during the hearings by industry, communities, and public interest groups alike, convinced the committee that some revisions were necessary. Given the imminent elections however, they were faced with a dilemma - either to pass the Bill un-amended, or to let the process begin afresh after the elections. Fortunately a middle-path was found, the Bill has been reactivated, and is now before you today.
In the months following the public hearings, our department conducted meetings with all those parties who made presentations to the committee and has crafted a comprehensive set of amendments to the Bill. Although it is not possible to meet the concerns of every individual or group, there appears to be broad consensus among stakeholders that the amendments have greatly improved the Bill. The Bill has been discussed and supported by Parliament and now will be tabled before the national Council of Provinces, before it is signed by the President as an Act.
The Atmospheric Week
It is the government's responsibility to ensure that awareness is raised for all people of this country to understand air quality issues and impacts to their daily lives. It is for this reason that every year in September, the department facilitates the Atmospheric Week, which is aimed at raising awareness on atmospheric issues like global climate change, ozone layer protection, weather service provision and general air quality issues in South Africa. This week coincides with the commemoration of the international day for the preservation of the ozone layer, which is celebrated on the 16th of September.
The Rustenburg Air Quality Management Plan
We are proud to say that the department fully supports initiatives like the one taken by Rustenburg Local Municipality in developing an Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP). To this end the legislation places an obligation on all organs of state charged with implementation of the air quality legislation to develop Air Quality Management Plan.
The rationale behind this is to enable authorities to consciously address air quality issues in their development plans. At local level, the Bill provides for these to be developed as part of Integrated Development Plans (IDPs). Given the fact that historically, there was no cooperation between authorities, industry and the public, Air Quality Management Plans seek to redress this by allowing consultation and cooperation between all parties in developing and implementing plans that will address air quality issues for the benefit of all parties concerned.
According to the proposed air quality legislation the AQMP must seek to:
* improve air quality to identify and reduce the negative impact of poor air quality in human health and the environment
* address the effects of emissions from industrial sources, from the burning of fossil fuels and emissions from other sources other than those already mentioned
* give effect to best practice in air quality management.
The Air Quality Management Plan must also describe how the relevant authority will give effect to its air quality management plan.
My department is therefore willing to support and use Rustenburg Local Authority as a pilot for development of Air Quality Management Plans, with the hope of using lessons learnt in Rustenburg in other provinces in the country.
Work in Progress
In preparation for smooth and effective implementation of the bill the department has embarked on a number of processes aimed at giving teeth to the air quality bill and at capacitating local and provincial authorities for the implementation of the Air Quality Act.
One of such initiatives is the setting of ambient air quality standards, which the department initiated in 2002, where a group of air quality experts from industry, government, NGOs got together to draft the first set ever of standards in South Africa. The standards are currently being reviewed internally before they are published for public comments.
A vehicle emissions strategy that seeks to control emissions from vehicles is also being developed jointly by DEAT and the Department of Minerals and Energy, and was published for public comments in November 2003. I am convinced that these initiatives and the associated cooperation and consultation between stakeholders will provide the means to properly deal with the air pollution problems many of our people have to deal with every day of their lives.
Conclusion
Honourable Mayor, legislation like the Air Quality Bill is why South Africa is regarded as a global leader in environmental protection and sustainable development best-practice. It embodies our commitment to improving the lives of our people, and strengthening the health of our shared future. The Air Quality Management Plan Planning is an important factor of air quality management to ensure that our wonderful legislation is properly implemented by all responsible parties.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
13 September 2004
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.environment.gov.za)
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