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Date : 21/09/2004
Source: Ministry of Science and Technology
Title: M Mangena: Launch of first SA Environmental Observation Network node


ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MR MOSIBUDI MANGENA, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE FIRST SOUTH AFRICAN ENVIRONMENTAL OBSERVATION NETWORK (SAEON) NODE, Phalaborwa, 21 September 2004

Director of Ceremonies,
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Derek Hanekom,
Mayor of Phalaborwa, Mr Mukhabele,
President of the NRF, Dr Khotso Mokhele,
CEO of SANPARKS, Dr David Mabunda,
Members of the Research Community,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen

The launch of the first node of the South African Environmental Observation Network is one of the significant events in the calendar of activities of the Department of Science and Technology.

Droughts, floods, pollution, changes in land use; soil degradation, invasive species and loss of species are recurrent phenomena within South African ecosystems. The need to establish long-term environmental measurement and experimentation practices is essential if we are to effectively deal with these environmental changes and disasters, and the attendant collapse of social systems in Southern Africa.

The influences of human activity on natural systems are complex to understand. Current South African research efforts are typically based on short-term and small scale-observations of environmental changes. The SAEON recognises that many environmental processes that are essential to human well-being and life on earth tend to change slowly. If one is hoping to detect, for example, 'the noise in the signal', and the observation record is short, detection becomes impossible, and at worst, wrong conclusions can be arrived at, with possible disastrous consequences.

For this reason, every country needs large-scale multi-disciplinary long-term ecosystem research programmes to be able to detect slow or sudden changes despite pervasive variability within and among ecosystems. The information gathered feeds directly into government policies and management actions affecting this generation and beyond.

The SAEON programme will provide the support required for effective and accurate public-decision making by generating over long periods relevant information for the sustainable management of natural resources and habitats.

The SAEON, however, is not only of national importance; it is multinational, because the issues involved recognise no national or political borders. These impacts are specifically felt in the areas of climate change, alien invasive species, trade in endangered and threatened species, and are being assessed in deliberations of the Conference of the Parties meetings under the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and more recently the ad hoc Group on Earth Observation (GEO).

Through the work of a regional Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) network called ELTOSA (Environmental Long-term Observatories of Southern Africa), Southern African countries are joining forces for environmental research and information to strengthen national environmental policies, appropriately informed by shared environmental issues. ELTOSA was launched to produce information and understanding that will support natural resource management, stabilise and enhance livelihood opportunities in the region. I am proud to say that the SAEON is a founding member of ELTOSA, and the incoming chair for the period 2005 to 2006.

As many of you are no doubt aware, the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) recognised earth observation as a critical element for sustainable development. World leaders who assembled there committed to increased international collaboration to optimally harness and strengthen observation capabilities for this crucial role. The Political Declaration issued following the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD 2002) recognises that: sustainable development requires a long-term perspective in policy formulation, decision-making and implementation at all levels.

The commitment to action has been elaborated upon in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation calling for the collection of "data that is accurate, long-term, consistent and reliable" through environmental observation systems and integrated information systems. The Johannesburg Plan of Action, calls then for the improvement of monitoring stations of the earth's atmosphere, land and oceans, for capacity building, education and knowledge with respect to environmental monitoring. The Plan regards natural resource management as a major area of effort with specific reference to water resources, fisheries, marine and coastal systems, climate change, atmosphere, agriculture, biodiversity, mountains, tourism, forests and mining.

We are launching SAEON today as an appropriate and sustained national response to pertinent outcomes and challenges of the WSSD 2002.

It is also important to note that the work of the Group on Earth Observation (GEO) symbolises concrete implementation of the WSSD commitments to Earth observation. Of importance also to today's event is that South Africa, through the Director General of the DST, Dr Adam, currently serves as Co-Chair of the GEO. The position of Co-Chair affords South Africa the opportunity to enhance its contribution in advancing the global sustainable development agenda, to ensure that the concerns and priorities of the developing world, especially Africa, are duly and adequately addressed.

In line with the strategic focus of the National R&D Strategy, the SAEON capitalises mostly on the competitive edge that South Africa has as the third most biodiversity-rich country in the world. Our longer-term expectation is that the SAEON's research output will amount to 80% Bio-resources, 10% Earth Observation and 10% Southern Oceans, Islands and Antarctic. In accordance with the National R&D Strategy, we can build on the advantages we have. In order to achieve this, we must strengthen our connectedness to global research networks and develop our technological capacity in strategic areas on a sustainable basis.

South Africa - and by extension Southern Africa - is a vital International Long-Term Ecological Research (ILTER) "laboratory", not only by virtue of its status as the third richest biodiversity country in the world, but also because of the vulnerability of the natural environment to global change. ILTER is the international home of the SAEON, and increased networking through ILTER contributes substantially to the internationalisation of environmental and ecological science in South Africa.

True and meaningful research has a direct impact on the improvement of the socio-economic status, and quality of life of our people. It is therefore fundamental that we increase the number of research facilities that can accelerate the pace and quality of research within our science system.

My department recognises its principal role of providing an enabling environment for research and innovation, and building the human capital we require for a prosperous and knowledge economy. The DST is strategically placing infrastructure such as staff, equipment, and services for ecosystem research to facilitate visits by researchers and their students who will also strengthen society through environmental science education and outreach.

The SAEON Ndlovu Node will consist not only of large and expensive equipment, but will also provide the basic equipment necessary for ecosystem research. The permanently studied sites at the SAEON Ndlovu Node will form the laboratories of ecosystem research, and through an accumulation of such nodes will form part of the Centres of Gravity for long-term environmental research and training.

A thorough investigative process managed by my department, the NRF, the SAEON Board and Technical Steering Committee, has afforded the SAEON the opportunity to designate its first node, which we are proud to launch here at Phalaborwa where it will be hosted by the Kruger National Park.

It should be noted, and I wish to congratulate the NRF and its management staff on the work well done, that the SAEON played a leading role in facilitating a partnership among key research organisations for the development of this node in the Lowveld.

The key research organisations that have been brought together include the Wits Rural Facility, the Agricultural Research Council, the CSIR and the Kruger National Park. All four have well-established long-term research programmes covering a wide range of disciplines and eco-regions in the Lowveld.

The envisaged research agenda at the SAEON Ndlovu Node is particularly exciting considering the contrasts in farming (subsistence and commercial), conservation (private and state), land use gradients and eco-regions, rehabilitation after closure of mining operations, and the importance of the life-supporting Olifants River with its down-stream influence on the Kruger National Park and Mozambique.

The SAEON has also actively engaged local players such as the Limpopo Department of Education and the Phalabora Foundation in an education network associated with the SAEON Ndlovu Node, and whose initial outcome is the launch of this node today. The progress made thus far will reap rich benefits for our education system because environmental science and ecology, as multi-disciplinary fields, can be utilised as strong platforms for the teaching of mathematics and a broad range of disciplines.

Mr Mayor, through your office we urge the community of Phalaborwa to nurture and make optimal use of this facility.

May I also use this opportunity to point out that we will be rolling out other critical SAEON nodes across the country. Other nodes currently being developed in parallel with the SAEON Ndlovu Node are: the Fynbos Node in the Western Cape, a Marine and Coastal Node with SANCOR, and an Arid Zone Node in the western half of South Africa.

The Department of Science and Technology, as the lead department, is collaborating with several government departments in the SAEON programme. The department provides core funding for the development and maintenance of the SAEON. This is expected to attract buy-in and resources from other departments and research organisations that will see the advantages of utilising the SAEON infrastructure and information to fulfil their own missions.

In closing, we thank you all for making a special effort to join us in this function, and to celebrate an important and successful partnership of the Department of Science and Technology, the National Research Foundation, the research community, government departments, private sector, and the local community. This facility is a valuable resource for South Africa today and tomorrow.

Thank you.

Issued by: Ministry of Science and Technology
21 September 2004

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