Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 25 March 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# Parliament’s delegation to the 148th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Switzerland has proposed amendments to the draft resolution on partnerships for climate action. A member of the delegation, Doris Dlakude, says South Africa’s proposals seek to strengthen the resolution by proposing to include enhanced international cooperation, to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy. She says climate change is not just an environmental matter, but an economic, social, and moral issue that requires urgent attention.

# Greenpeace Africa will this week launch its latest report titled, Major Air Polluters in Africa Unmasked. In 2019, air pollution emerged as the second-leading cause of mortality across the continent. According to the World Health Organisation, nine out of ten people currently breathe air that exceeds its guidelines for pollutants, with those living in low- and middle-income countries suffering the most. Greenpeace Africa says its latest report will also highlight the need to fast-track a just transition to clean energy.

# And finally, Olympic Games: France is scrambling to prevent the virus-carrying tiger mosquito, a growing menace in Europe, from spoiling the Paris Games, with millions of visitors due in four months’ time. AFP reports the insect has made its home in much of northern Europe, including France, over the past two decades, due to climate change, spreading diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and zika. Authorities have tried in vain to get rid of the insects, including by fumigating parts of Paris, a technique regularly used in tropical cities.

Stay tuned for more news………….