Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 9 April 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation will call for proposals to deploy large-scale hydrogen projects as part of its Decadal Plan to 2032. Speaking at the second Hydrogen and Fuel Cell conference, acting chief director Mandy Mlilo said government aims to support public-private research and development collaboration. She says over 1.4-billion-rand is already invested in Hydrogen South Africa. Mlilo emphasised the focus is now on commercialising locally-developed intellectual property, building skills, and reducing hydrogen production costs for a greener economy.

# As the number of rice-producing countries gets fewer, experts are warning that climate disruptions could threaten future global supply. This comes amid reports of Malaysia’s rice production dropping from 71-percent to 56-percent due to climate change. This has forced the country to rely more on imports from Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. Malaysia uses over 2.7-million tons of rice each year, with roughly 30-percent of that supply currently coming from Cambodia. Experts say Malaysia is currently exploring climate-resilient rice strains, though long-term solutions are urgently needed.

# And finally: A stampede of life-size animal puppets made from raw, recycled materials will embark on a 20-thousand-kilometer journey from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the Arctic Circle. This is to raise awareness about wildlife and the threats posed by global warming. The production is a partnership between Ukwanda Puppets and Design Art Collective and the Centre for Humanities Research at the University of the Western Cape. UWC says along the route, puppets of animals indigenous to the countries will join the group.

Stay tuned for more news………….