Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 7 March 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# Four-hundred-and-420 rhinos were poached in South Africa last year, with 320 being killed in state properties and 100 in privately owned parks, reserves or farms. This was a decrease of 79 in comparison to 499 rhinos poached in 2023. Forestry, Fisheries and Environment minister, Dion George, says wildlife trafficking remains a significant global issue that requires an intense and co-ordinated global endeavour, if they are to succeed in disrupting the criminal networks:

# The Department of International Relations and Cooperation says South Africa and other international partners will evaluate the implications of the US withdrawing from the Just Energy Transition Partnership. President Donald Trump signed an executive order terminating its membership in the International Partners Group for JETPs South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam, as well as associated financial pledges. The pact is helping the countries ditch planet-polluting coal. Dirco says South Africa remains committed to implementing international agreements, including decisions taken at the historic Paris climate change conference.

# And finally: The Association of Water and Sanitation Institutions of South Africa is urging stronger measures to combat water pollution. The association says it supports the Water Anti-Pollution Forum and calls on municipalities, industries, and communities to comply with wastewater disposal regulations. It warns that poor water quality threatens health, food security, and economic growth. It urges policy alignment as well as strict enforcement, and public-private partnerships to protect water resources, ensuring long-term sustainability and clean water goals.

Stay tuned for more news………….