Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 16 January 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# The Mauritian government has raised its cyclone warning to the maximum level as Tropical Storm Belal brought powerful winds and heavy rains to the island nation. Prime minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth has issued a stay-indoors order. Several flights scheduled for today, including to France and South Africa, had been cancelled. The Meteorological Service has reported that the storm is moving eastwards away from the island. Belal has caused widespread power outages, with numerous cars submerged or stranded due to torrential rains. Cyclone Belal has already hit nearby Réunion, leaving at least one person dead.

# The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and the Independent Power Producers Office will host three virtual bidders conferences tomorrow and Thursday. This follows the release of three new requests for proposals for the public procurement of seven-thousand-615 megawatts of new generation capacity from wind, solar photovoltaic, gas to power and battery energy storage technologies. The department is expected to provide bidders with additional information on the approach that will be taken to the prevailing grid constraint in the country.

# And the City of Cape Town is pleased to report that the Waste Awareness Programme for the city’s beaches has been completed successfully. The city conducted an engaging awareness and education programme on beaches last month. Mayoral committee member for Urban Waste Management, Grant Twigg, says the theme of the programme was The Ocean is Home, aimed to instil a sense of responsibility and appreciation for oceans, particularly among the younger generation:

Stay tuned for more news………….