Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 28 February 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# Oceans, once thought to be limitless, are now under severe pressure from overfishing, global warming and pollution. This is according to University of the Western Cape marine biologist, professor Gavin Maneveldt. Nearly 90-percent of the world’s marine fish stocks are either fully fished or overfished. Maneveldt says scientists are exploring alternative food and energy sources as the global population is projected to reach 9.7-billion by 2050. He says one promising solution lies in the vast, untapped potential of seaweeds:

# Germany’s KFW Development Bank has approved a 2.8-billion-rand concessional loan for the City of Cape Town to strengthen its electricity infrastructure and integrate renewable energy. While the loan conditions have not been disclosed, the financial terms are described as favourable and aligned with South Africa’s just energy transition. Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says without reliable infrastructure, they simply cannot achieve their goals to beat power outages. German ambassador Andreas Peschke says they are committed to the country’s just energy transition.

# And finally: Following intense negotiations in Rome, nations have reached a compromise on funding biodiversity protection. This resolves a deadlock from the 2024 COP16 summit. The agreement outlines a path for financing almost 3.7-trillion-rand annually by 2030 with a focus on protecting wildlife in poorer nations. While it does not establish a new fund, it sets mechanisms to ensure effective financial delivery. A million species are threatened with extinction, while unsustainable farming and consumption destroy forests, deplete soils and spread plastic pollution.

Stay tuned for more news………….