The eminent crisis around climate change

The emphasis at this years’ annual Community Engagement Day held at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) on Wednesday was the crisis around climate change. Changes in the global average temperature causing the earth’s climate to change.

The timing of the seasons is changing as are rainfall patterns, oceans are warming, ice caps at the poles are melting, sea levels are rising and extreme weather events, like hurricanes ,drought, floods and heat waves are occurring more often .This is a prime and major crisis facing not only South Africa but the whole world.

Vice Chancellor of DUT Professor Bawa expressed his respect for the role journalist play in society “I am in owe of you, because such a lot of responsibility is on your shoulder, said Bawa” .He went on to say that DUT will be involved in the upcoming COPE 17 Conference but he is terrified at the thought of DUT being involved as this is such a critical and delicate issue. The conference will be held in South Africa at the International Convention Center later this year.

Bianca Mackelevy who is Conversation manager at the Wildlife Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) said we don’t have a climate crisis but a people crisis people are to blame for a lot of what is happening.”The mission of WESSA is to promote public participation in caring for the earth “said Macklevy. We should take action now and she went on to explain the different ways that ordinary people can do to play a part in saving our country and our planet.

Durban Green Corridor’s Gabriella Pappas explained the different initiatives that their organisation have done to contribute to the crisis. Their various programs and sustainable environmental living are responsible for the Blue Lagoon. There they house a nature based tourism and sustainable living information. The Green Hub also operates various programs such as the uMngeni River Estuary one of the most bio diversity within the Ethekwini Municipal area. Riverside Trail where they employ people who live around the area to help with the making of the trail and the cleanup of the areas around the river banks.
Muthoni Ngotho of the Green Network said their organization decided to promote and priorities renewable energy issues. According to her South Africa is one of many countries with poor energy efficiency. They have taken up the challenge of being more and more aware. Energy, whether derived from wood, coal or electricity, has become increasingly expensive.

The Network has assembled a Mobile Renewable Energy Technology Demonstration Unit (RETMDU) which consists of a trailer with a solar water heater, solar panel, convector, battery and globe to help in this process of education. They have recently introduced a Biogas Digester, which is an initiative used to cook using a Biogas as well as the use of organic matter to a clean ,carbon-neutral gas which can be used for cooking and lightning. This equipment which uses freely available resources such as manure and agricultural waste was installed at Willowfountain. Green Network believes that by raising awareness of energy alternatives the current energy poverty experienced by poor people in South Africa can be alleviated and their lives greatly improve.

The question surfaced as to why this important and energy saving equipment was not commercialised so that each and every South African can have access to it .Mathombo said, “the equipments as well as installing it is very expensive and it’s an initiative they are working towards where every South African can benefit from renewable technologies like these”.

Deamond D’sa of South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) explained that their key concern is the well being for all people living in eThekwini. Their main objective, speaking out for environmental justice at local, national and international level. He explained the many ways the organisation has done to play a role in society like the closing down of various industries with toxic emissions into the air and water as they were a potential threat to the health of communities, workers, and the environment in South Durban.

The poor operating practices by some companies that led to periodic oil spills and sprays, industrial accidents, inadequate safety and emergency plans for workers and neighborhoods, truck accidents, and illegal dumping of toxic wastes.
Among these companies are ENGEN, until 1996 the largest South African-owned integrated petroleum group (now majority-owned by Petronas) and Mondi Paper Company, one of the largest individual paper mills in the world (a major subsidiary of Anglo American Industrial Corporation Ltd Industrial air pollution is a priority concern in South Durban
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He also spoke on behalf of Essop Mohamed, from the KZN Fisher’s Forum and passed on the concern form the organisation regarding frequently report on a wide variety of odorous and badly coloured waste water flowing from that canal into the Umlazi and the nearby area where they fish.

All these Ngo’s expressed their concern and pleaded with the public to play a key role in saving our planet .An important initiative by SDCEA has been to form a local chapter of Climate Justice which calls politicians, officials and civil society representatives in Copenhagen to put forward a solid and concrete demand for a tough and binding proposal that will lead to immediate pollution reduction in the world and in South Africa.