DANISH MINISTER TO SIGN THREE GOVERNMENT AGREEMENTS

Issued by: Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM, MINISTRY OF WATER AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY AND THE DANISH MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

On Wednesday the 18th of September in Cape Town, the Danish Minister for Environment and Energy, Mr Svend Auken will sign three government agreements with the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Dr Z Pallo Jordan and the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Prof. Kader Asmal. Danish assistance to the South African environment, of approximately twenty million Rands, will be provided through the Danish Co-operation for Environment and Development (DANCED). Danced was established in 1993 after the 1992 United Nations Conference for Environment and Development in Rio.

The support will focus on three specific projects in the fields of water quality and waste management:

• National Waste Management Strategies and Action Plans
• Hazardous Waste Incineration at Pretoria Portland Cement
• Strategy to Manage the Water Quality Effects of Dense Settlements

The objective of the national Waste Management project is to reduce the generation of waste and the associated negative environ- mental impact of all forms of waste in South Africa. The strategies and action plans will focus on waste minimisation through the intro- duction of cleaner technology, re-use, recycling, improved waste collection systems, incineration and proper land filling of waste.

In South Africa hazardous waste management relies heavily on disposal at landfills and there are only a few, if any, facilities providing for safe treatment. Therefore, the possibility of burning hazardous waste as an alternative fuel at an existing cement produc- tion facility is a viable starting point for modern, cost effective, hazardous waste treatment in South Africa. The aim is to remove just under 20 000 tons a year from the waste stream currently being land filled. The hazardous waste will substitute up to 30% of the energy required at Pretoria Portland Cement's Jupiter Factory in Johannesburg.

Inadequate or non-existent waste and sanitation services in many dense settlements, both rural and urban, often lead to pollution of ground and surface water resources. The Danish aid will assist the South African government to develop appropriate strategies to manage these problems.

The signing of these agreements will further mark Denmark's commitment to promoting sustainable development. The first commitments from DANCED were made in 1995, when assistance worth nearly thirty million Rands, was agreed to with government and NGOs on the following projects:

• Development of a new environmental policy for South Africa, known as the CONsultative National Environmental policy Process (CONNEPP), which is engaged in the production of a White Paper planned for publication in early 1997;
• Development of a White Paper on Biological Diversity (sustainable use and conservation of flora and fauna to fulfil the Biodiversity Convention);
• Technical assistance for the development of the White Paper on Sustainable Forest Management in South Africa;
• Community Forestry Project in the Bushbuckridge area in Mpumalanga Province;
• Capacity building in the Department of Environmental Affairs, Mpumalanga Province;
• Support to the Directorate of Environment, Gauteng Province;
• The Group for Environmental Monitoring Waste Action Project;
• Environmental Justice Networking Forum, Organisational Develop- ment and Capacity Building;
• "Grow for Life" Environmental Education and Awareness with Ecolink in Mpumalanga Province

According to the Danish Minister of Environmental and Energy, Mr Svend Auken, "the signing of these agreements is a major step toward promoting environmental co-operation between South Africa and Denmark. The assistance will be provided for at least a five year period, with an initial budget of approximately R200 million. Some of the areas for future support are:

• promotion of cleaner technology within industry
• environmental education
• integration of environmental concern in land reform
• improved energy planning and renewable energy for rural areas as well as energy efficient housing
• development of a national forest action plan
• integrated coastal zone management in KwaZulu-Natal."
• The singing of the government agreements by the Ministers will take place at a press conference and you are invited to attend:

DATE: 18 September 1996 TIME: 16h30 VENUE: Ingwenyama Auditorium, Ground Floor 120 Plein Street, Cape Town.

• For further information please contact:

- Cassandra Gabriel, Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, phone: (021) 457 240, Cell: 082 573 4168 - Themba Khumalo, Liaison Officer, Ministry of Water Affairs and Forestry, phone: (021) 457 246 - Einar H. Jensen, Environmental Attache or Peter Lukey, Environmental Project Officer, Royal Danish Embassy, phone: (012) 322 0595, cell: 082 568 0230. 16 September 1996