South Africa: Work On African Parliament Building Halted After Environment Complaint - BUILDING has been halted on the Pan African Parliament site in Midrand after it was found the development is taking place on a protected wetland area and a conservation lobby group threatened to go to court if construction was resumed. [AA Construction]

Cameroon: Fears for Forest As Dam Construction Begins - Crouched on a low, wooden stool in front of his mud hut in the village of Pangar, Alain Selembe puffs away at his clay pipe, his gaze lost in the surrounding forest, quite oblivious to the noise made by his two playing daughters. All he hears is the rumbling of bulldozers opening up a 30 kilometre road from Deng Deng village to the confluence of the Lom and Pangar rivers, where the government plans to construct a new dam. [AA Construction]

Ghana: Severe Environmental Pollution in Accra - A tour around the Korle Lagoon, specifically an area called 'Lavender Hill' revealed that most of the city's liquid waste is discharged into the sea in that area, and poses a severe environmental and health threat to inhabitants of the area. [AA Urbanisation]

Johannesburg - Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica has expressed concern about the state of the country's poor environment, saying it was a violation to a person's constitutional right to clean surroundings.

"I am extremely concerned about the state of our environment, especially in the townships and other municipal areas.

"We as a department are extremely worried that our communities have to live in such squalid conditions that violate their constitutional right to a clean environment," the minister said at the Local Government Indaba on Wednesday.

She urged municipalities, communities and other stakeholders to forge partnerships to take better care of the environment, adding that there was a need to focus on financial resources committed to environmental management.

"The time has come for all of us to act. I must also hasten to add that rights are accompanied by responsibilities which also place a degree of responsibility on our communities to be active agents of a clean environment," the minister said.

Nigeria: Beyond Beautification of State Capitals - If environmental enhancement is the only yardstick for measuring the success of our various state governments, many of the incumbent governors would score high marks. In a number of state capitals, environmental beautification programmes are going on with near frenzy. [AA Construction]

Ghana: Irritating Irritants And Eye Sores - We have been made to believe that Ghana,is the gateway to West Africa, what with the relative peace and tranquility that has characterized socio-economic as well as political life within the sub-region.

Yet it also holds true that Ghana is fast become one huge cauldron of decadence and degenerate behaviour, with filth becoming the national belt of unity traversing every strata of society. Ordinarily, this assertion would be dismissed even by yours truly as a notch too harsh on the good people of this country.

However, recent developments on the social and environmental front give great cause for alarm while exposing our shameful penchant for mediocrity and lack of proper supervision. A few examples would suffice in this instance. [AA Urbanisation]

Eritrea: Workshop On Construction Works And Their Impact On Environment Conducted - A workshop focusing on construction works and their impact on the environment was conducted on April 13 at Embasoira Hotel here in the capital. [AA Construction]

By Ndaba Dlamini

Johannesburg - City-owned buildings will go dark for one hour on Friday, 27 March in support of Earth Hour, the climate change initiative of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

To support the global Earth Hour campaign and show that the city is serious about tackling climate change, the city will have a "Big Switch Off" from 10am to 11am on the day, according to Lisa McNamara, a climate change specialist in the city's environmental management department.

"The lights will be turned off in the city's 17 corporate buildings, including the Metro Centre, [and] as many of its other public buildings as possible," she said.

The buildings include Jorissen Place in Braamfontein, ACA Building, Sandton Civic Centre, Teljoy House, CJ Cronje Building, Jabulani Civic Centre, Dobsonville Civic Centre, Newtown Building, Ennerdale Civic Centre, Proton House and Roodepoort Civic Centre, reports Joburg.org.

All lights will be switched off for the hour, except emergency lights. However, the electricity will not be turned off so that people can still use lifts, computers and other essential appliances to minimise the impact on daily operations.

Durban - Durban's Mayor Obed Mlaba has pledged his support for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Earth Hour 2009 campaign, a global initiative to raise awareness around energy and the effects of climate change.

The WWF campaign aims to have more than one billion people in 1000 cities turn off their lights for one hour on 28 March 2009 at 20:30 in a demonstration of support for determined international action on climate change.

The eThekwini Municipality, as well as the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC), have now joined the campaign and will switch off their lights for an hour on 28 March.

The municipality is also planning to hold a parade through the city centre on the day to raise awareness around the event and its energy saving campaign.

The likes of Ryk Neethling, Bryan Habana, Marc Lottering, Freshlyground, Jo-Ann Strauss, Soli Philander, Leon Schuster, the Moroka Swallows and the Parlotones are among the local celebrities who have pledged to do the same.

By Nthambeleni Gabara

Johannesburg - A clean-up campaign is underway along the Jukskei River in Alexandra, as part of the city's ongoing efforts to care and protect its wetlands.

The clean-up campaign, forms part of activities planned for World Wetlands Day, which is annually celebrated in February on different days.

When BuaNews arrived at the wetland on Tuesday, a group of employees from the City's environmental department and learners from the Alexandra Skeem Primary School were busy removing waste materials.

The Jukskei River, which is one of the largest rivers in Johannesburg, is mostly shallow and often polluted. The banks are also prone to bursting, especially in summer when rainfalls are heavy.

Speaking to BuaNews on Tuesday, the City's Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC), Councillor Prema Naidoo said the campaign was an opportunity to inform and remind people how the wetlands benefit the surroundings.

He said one of the important functions of a wetland was to trap dirt and sand.

"This makes the water cleaner and healthier as well as stopping soil erosion," he said, adding that recently, the area experienced flooding.

By Nthambeleni Gabara

Johannesburg - A clean-up campaign is underway along the Jukskei River in Alexandra, as part of the city's ongoing efforts to care and protect its wetlands.

The clean-up campaign, forms part of activities planned for World Wetlands Day, which is annually celebrated in February on different days.

When BuaNews arrived at the wetland on Tuesday, a group of employees from the City's environmental department and learners from the Alexandra Skeem Primary School were busy removing waste materials.

The Jukskei River, which is one of the largest rivers in Johannesburg, is mostly shallow and often polluted. The banks are also prone to bursting, especially in summer when rainfalls are heavy.

Speaking to BuaNews on Tuesday, the City's Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC), Councillor Prema Naidoo said the campaign was an opportunity to inform and remind people how the wetlands benefit the surroundings.

He said one of the important functions of a wetland was to trap dirt and sand.

"This makes the water cleaner and healthier as well as stopping soil erosion," he said, adding that recently, the area experienced flooding.

Nairobi - More than 1 000 environment ministers from across the world are set to meet in Kenya next month for the UN Environment Program (UNEP)'s Governing Council meeting.

According to the Nairobi-based UN environment agency the meeting, which will take place from 16-20 February, will also discuss climate change and the ongoing talks towards a new international agreement in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Issues on the table include the green economy and green growth and mercury.

The ministers will discuss policy options for an international response to global mercury pollution and the food crisis.

The ministers will also discuss Olympic Games and the environment, and an overview of the key environmental issues of the day including ecosystem management, resource efficiency and environmental governance.

"An overview of the key environmental issues of the day including ecosystem management, resource efficiency and environmental governance will be on the table," the agency said.

The high-level meeting comes on the heels of an eventful year which saw further evidence of global warming, food shortages and the worst financial crisis in years.

"Dr. Anthony Turton, an expert on hydropolitics and transboundary water resources was recently suspended by the Council on Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for attempting to speak out about the impending water crisis in South Africa.", Zoopy.com

Dr Anthony Turton’s keynote presentation "A Clean South Africa" was to be delivered at the CSIR’s Science Real and Relevant Conference in Pretoria on the 19th of this month - it did not happen. The CSIR said in a statement that “Dr Turton elected to engage with the media on the matter of the withdrawal of his presentation, despite internal avenues that are available, and in contravention of organisational policy. An internal investigation has been started and Dr Turton was suspended on Friday November 21 2008”.

Dr Turton's presentation, "Three Strategic Water Quality Challenges that Decision-Makers Need to Know About and How the CSIR Should Respond", is available below for download in PDF format, as is a video interview by Terri Hayward of Zoopy Productions.

Uganda: Dirty Buildings Face Closure in Entebbe - ENTEBBE Municipality is to close down dirty premises in an attempt to improve sanitation. Addressing residents during the 46th independence celebrations at the works grounds, mayor Stephen Kabuye said Entebbe was the main gateway to the country and should be kept clean. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: Environment the Casualty As Need for Houses Soars - Several weeks ago, residents of a wealthy Nairobi neighbourhood along United Nations Avenue had an unpleasant surprise. [AA Construction]