Tag Archive for: Environmentalism

The Wildlife & Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) has announced that 58 Blue Flags will be flown at 48 beaches, six marinas and by four sustainable tourism boats around South Africa over the forthcoming 2020/21 Blue Flag season.

Nineteen Pilot sites received recognition for their efforts in working towards the minimum requirements for Blue Flag Status.

The Blue Flag programme is focused on the conservation of marine and coastal habitats, and is designed to raise environmental education and awareness, and increase sound environmental practices among tourists, local populations and beach management.

To achieve Blue Flag status, as many as 33 different criteria spanning four aspects of coastal management must be met and maintained: water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and services.

You can find the full list of Blue Flag beaches detailed below.

Western Cape

Beach Region Municipality
Silwerstroomstrand Western Cape City of Cape Town
Clifton 4th Western Cape City of Cape Town
Camps Bay Western Cape City of Cape Town
Llandudno Western Cape City of Cape Town
Muizenberg Western Cape City of Cape Town
Strandfontein Western Cape City of Cape Town
Mnandi Western Cape City of Cape Town
Bikini Western Cape City of Cape Town
Melkbosstrand Western Cape City of Cape Town
FishHoek Western Cape City of Cape Town
Kleinmond Western Cape Overstrand
Hawston Western Cape Overstrand
Grotto Western Cape Overstrand
Castle Beach Western Cape Overstrand
Witsand Western Cape Hessequa
Preekstoel Western Cape Hessequa
Lappiesbaai Western Cape Hessequa
Jongensfontein Western Cape Hessequa
Gouritzmond Western Cape Hessequa
Stilbaai Wes Western Cape Hessequa
De Bakke Western Cape Mossel Bay
Hartenbos Western Cape Mossel Bay
Klein Brak Western Cape Mossel Bay
Santos Western Cape Mossel Bay
Glentana Western Cape Mossel Bay
Robberg 5 Western Cape Bitou
The Waves – Keurboomstrand Western Cape Bitou
Nature’s Valley Western Cape Bitou
Lookout Western Cape Bitou
The Dunes Western Cape Bitou
Singing Kettle Western Cape Bitou

KZN

Beach Region Municipality
Marina KwaZulu-Natal Ray Nkonyeni
Trafalgar KwaZulu-Natal Ray Nkonyeni
Southport KwaZulu-Natal Ray Nkonyeni
Umzumbe KwaZulu-Natal Ray Nkonyeni
Hibberdene KwaZulu-Natal Ray Nkonyeni
Ushaka KwaZulu-Natal Ethekwini
Durban North Beach KwaZulu-Natal Ethekwini
Point KwaZulu-Natal Ethekwini
Amanzimtoti KwaZulu-Natal Ethekwini
uMhlanga Main KwaZulu-Natal Ethekwini

Eastern Cape

Beach Region Municipality
Hamburg Eastern Cape Amathole
Dolphin Eastern Cape Kouga
Kings Eastern Cape Nelson Mandela Bay Metro
Humewood Eastern Cape Nelson Mandela Bay Metro
Hobie Eastern Cape Nelson Mandela Bay Metro
Kariega Eastern Cape Ndlambe
Kelly’s Eastern Cape Ndlambe

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Nigeria’s chronic power shortages have been a defining feature of the country’s path to sustainable economic development.

As an oil-producing net importer of petroleum products, this makes the lack of investment in Nigeria’s own domestic energy infrastructure even more stark – a trend which must be reversed.

Currently, peak power supply is a quarter of the total 20,000MW demand in the country. With electricity generation per head 25% below sub-Saharan African averages, the country spends $12bn annually on diesel to power generators. This cost comes with additional health and environmental hazards, highlighting the importance of developing a sustainable, reliable energy mix.

Economic productivity is severely impacted because of inconsistent power supply. Its resulting cost to the economy is estimated at $29bn annually. In the context of an anticipated COVID-19-induced recession forecast to be the worst in four decades, there is an urgent need to act.

The gas sector offers a more environmentally friendly alternative than oil. Policy implementation in the shape of the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code (NGTNC) illustrates a potential future of an equitable and competitive gas market. Better infrastructure and broader access to gas across the country can have a considerable impact.

Most importantly, these steps open the door to increased investment. Where private sector participation had previously been muted, there is currently an uptick in activity. A healthy proportion of this has been directed to development of midstream assets, and with the influence of the NGTNC the sector’s potential will increase.

New Investments

African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) sees value in this, as reflected in our recent activity through our pan-African AIIF3 fund. By acquiring stakes in Savannah Uquo Gas and Accugas, [Nigeria is] invested in an integrated gas midstream business.

Accugas has 260km of pipeline network and a gas processing facility, critical to realizing ambitions of being Nigeria’s gas supplier of choice. Accugas is currently responsible for supplying gas to around 10% of the country’s power generating capacity. Assisting this process are shifts in policy which are helping direct gas production towards domestic demand.

Given that most of Nigeria’s power demand today is fulfilled through diesel based self-generation, significant opportunity also lies in solutions which help the switch from high-carbon, high-cost generating capacity to low-carbon, low-cost alternatives.

[Nigeria has] also invested in Starsight Power, a rooftop solar company which has become one of the leading commercial and industrial solar power providers in Africa. It has a portfolio of over 35MW of generation assets installed in Nigeria and Ghana. This model encapsulates Nigeria’s future energy and economic ambitions, harnessing the vast potential of our solar resources, while reducing reliance on the nation’s primary commodity.

Increasing utilisation of lower carbon emitting fuels and energy sources speaks to a future which considers sustainable growth and the lives of generations to come. A warmer climate and less predictable rainfall are having deleterious effects on many communities, especially those whose livelihoods rely on rain-fed agriculture. Climate change is driving displacement across these communities, impacting millions and compounding issues food security issues.

Solar Power

Achieving inclusive and sustainable growth will mean fully embracing alternative, cleaner energy sources. In a country where 43% of people are living off-grid, options like solar mini-grids bypass the need for installation of transmission infrastructure, bringing down costs and delivering power at affordable rates. Technology developments also mean such options are widely deployable and rapidly scalable.

Despite modest uptake, there is growing momentum towards commitment to a more sustainable future. In August, the government released eight tenders for solar power projects, which will be followed by a US$200m mini-grid development initiative from the African Development Bank. The World Bank has also pledged its support for the second phase of Africa’s largest off-grid hybrid solar project, the Energizing Education Programme.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

According to the Government Gazette, South Africa will allow municipalities to source their own power rather than buying electricity solely from the state-owned utility, potentially easing a dispute with its second-biggest city, Cape Town.

Earlier this year, a judge ordered further negotiations between the City of Cape Town and the energy ministry after the municipality sued the government because it wasn’t allowed to proceed with its own energy procurement plans. Under the planned rules, the local authority would still need government permission to do so, which it objects to.

In addition to wanting to generate more power from renewable resources, South African cities including Cape Town, Johannesburg, the adjacent industrial hub of Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, which includes the capital, Pretoria, have been subjected to regular power cuts because state-owned Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. cannot meet demand and distribution infrastructure is dilapidated.

Cape Town has outlined plans to source electricity from solar plants and waste-to-power projects at its landfill sites. Eskom produces most of its power from coal.

Leila Mahomed-Weideman, director of sustainable energy markets for the City of Cape Town, said she couldn’t immediately comment.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

As part of our constant drive to give back to our community, our team has endeavored to join together to participate in a monthly community-focused CSR initiative. The team comes together each month to participate in an activity aimed at uplifting the community around our head office in Cape Town, after which ideas are put forward for the following month’s initiative.

In this way, as South Africans, we are giving back not only on Mandela Day, but throughout the year, as the need doesn’t end after the holiday.

Naturally, we take all necessary COVID-19-related precautions when participating in the activities, so as to ensure the health and safety of our team members and those we are interacting with outside our office.

For our second month, in October 2020, we came together to pick up litter in the neighborhood in which our head office is located (Kenilworth, Cape Town), with the theme of ‘A Healthier City’. We invited our neighbors to join us, and the team from Vulcan Integrated Solutions joined us on the collection walk. We split up into 3 teams, each walking different routes, to pick up any litter we found in the roads surrounding our offices.

Gallery

We hope this inspires our readers and other companies to start similar initiatives, as if we all work together, we can greatly improve the quality of life of those in need around us.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].