Department of Forestry | Bizcommunity

News

The City of Cape Town has been releasing more sewage into the ocean from its Hout Bay marine outfall than its discharge permit allows. But following appeals over the granting of the permit, and a criminal case being laid against the City, environmental minister Dion George has lifted restrictions on the quantity of sewage it is allowed to discharge. Archive photo: Steve Kretzmann / GroundUp

Circular Economy & Waste Management

Cape Town may pump as much sewage into the sea as it likes

Steve Kretzmann 2 days

Schools environmental debates inspire young minds from Soweto

Education & Skills Development

Schools environmental debates inspire young minds from Soweto

Dumisani Khumalo, Issued by Fibre Circle 3 days

Image source: wirestock from

Environment & Natural Resources

HPAI virus suspected to have reached Marion Island

13 Nov 2024

Fishers in Port Nolloth are opposing TotalEnergies’ bid to explore for gas and oil off the West Coast. Photo: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Court bid to block TotalEnergies gas project off West Coast

7 Nov 2024

Image source: Leo Arslan from

Circular Economy & Waste Management

EPR free riders beware - regulator to strengthen enforcement against non-compliance

Garyn Rapson, Paula-Ann Novotny and Michelle Morris 24 Oct 2024

African Penguins at Boulders Beach in Cape Town. Archive photo: Ihsaan Haffejee / GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Talks on penguin litigation fail to break deadlock

John Yeld 22 Oct 2024

The minister and deputy minister of minerals and petroleum resources addressed the media at Africa Oil Week 2024.

Coal, Oil & Gas

Mantashe publishes Petroleum Products Bill for public comment

Lindsey Schutters 22 Oct 2024

Massmart expands SA’s retail e-waste recycling drive

ESG

Massmart expands SA’s retail e-waste recycling drive

14 Oct 2024

Image source: Chayanit Chankhong – [[www.123rf.com 123RF.com]

Climate Change

Carbon pricing poses threat to economies of developing countries

11 Oct 2024

African Penguins at Boulders Beach in Cape Town. Archive photo: Ihsaan Haffejee / GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Former environment minister Creecy under fire from penguin conservation groups

John Yeld 1 Oct 2024

Source: © 123rf A new R300-million processing facility - a first-of-its-kind technology for Africa - will add an extra 15,000 tonnes per annum of food-grade recycled PET output capacity (Pictured: plastic bottles ready for recycling)

Circular Economy & Waste Management

First for Africa R300m PET recycling plant to add 15,000 tons capacity annually; critical for export-oriented industries

17 Sep 2024

Source: © 123rf Today, Monday 16 September, South Africa joins the global community today to commemorate the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer under the theme Advancing Climate Action

Climate Change

Commemorating International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, Advancing Climate Action

16 Sep 2024

One-third of the food we produce is never eaten: Reshaping our food system must be accelerated

Food, Water & Energy Security

One-third of the food we produce is never eaten: Reshaping our food system must be accelerated

Andy du Plessis, Issued by FoodForward SA 10 Sep 2024

African penguins, photographed here in Simon’s Town, could be extinct as soon as 2035, according to BirdLife South Africa and Sanccob (Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds). Photo: Dan Callister / GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Surprise move in litigation over African Penguins

John Yeld 21 Aug 2024

Masifundise Development Trust and Coastal Links hosted the Fisher People Tribunal from 12 to 14 August. Small-scale fishers from across the country gathered in Kalk Bay to share testimonies. GroundUp

Food, Water & Energy Security

Stop new mining on West Coast, say fishers

Liezl Human 16 Aug 2024

Candice Stevens, founder and CEO of the Sustainable Finance Coalition

NGO, NPO & Social Enterprise

#WomensMonth: Candice Stevens - where finance meets passion for conservation

Shan Radcliffe 8 Aug 2024

Waste pickers affiliated to the South African Waste Pickers Association (Sawpa) marched to the City of Johannesburg offices in Braamfontein on Tuesday to demand compensation for collecting recyclables and to oppose plans to incinerate waste. Photos: Kimberly Mutandiro / GroundUp

Circular Economy & Waste Management

Hundreds of waste pickers march in Joburg demanding compensation

Kimberly Mutandiro 7 Aug 2024

Image source: pixabay from

ESG & Sustainability

Climate Change Act: Improve reporting or face the consequences

29 Jul 2024

Climate Change

South Africa aims for net zero emissions by 2050

15 Jul 2024

Image source: Nicole Kruger from

Environment & Natural Resources

Public comment sought on rhino management plan

20 Jun 2024

What do you do with your end-of-use appliances?

Fashion & Homeware

What do you do with your end-of-use appliances?

10 Jun 2024

Sappi research chair at Wits marks a milestone year of climate action

Climate Change

Sappi research chair at Wits marks a milestone year of climate action

Issued by Sappi 7 Jun 2024

Source: © Global African Network The DFFE and DPWI have entered into a MOA on the preferential access for small-scale fisheries co-operatives to public works facilities

Fishing

DFFE and DPWI preferential access for small scale fisheries MOA

16 May 2024

South Africa's energy and construction industry under heavy scrutiny in Draft Sectoral Emissions Target Report. Source: Meta AI

Sustainable Development

Draft report shows emissions dip, but energy and construction pivotal to deeper cuts

Lindsey Schutters 29 Apr 2024

Image source: kozorog –

Environment & Natural Resources

Call for a National Register of Polluters

15 Apr 2024

The Alexkor coffer-dam wall between two dams at high tide. Photos from a Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment report titled: “Enforcement: In Loco Inspection Report – The salt/tidal flats of the Orange River Mouth Ramsar site”, published 28 January 2020.

Environment & Natural Resources

Alexkor vs Creecy in environment court battle

John Yeld 12 Apr 2024

Image source: scyther5 –

Environment & Natural Resources

Draft National Biodiversity Economy Strategy - public comment extension

22 Mar 2024

Food Crisis

Easter snoek shortage fears rise amidst tightened fishing regulations

19 Mar 2024

Recyclable items collected and sorted at the African Reclaimers Organisation’s sorting centre are compressed using a baler machine before being sold to buy-back centres. Photo: Masego Mafata / GroundUp

Circular Economy & Waste Management

Waste pickers create their own recycling centre

Masego Mafata 12 Mar 2024

Small-scale fishers could be allowed to catch new species

Fishing

Small-scale fishers could be allowed to catch new species

Liezl Human 5 Mar 2024

File photo: Black rhinos, one of the world's endangered animals, are seen at a farm outside Klerksdorp, in the north west province, South Africa, 24 February 2016. Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo

Environment & Natural Resources

Rhino poaching in South Africa increases in 2023

Nellie Peyton and Bhargav Acharya 27 Feb 2024

SanParks: Public consultation opens for Robben Island Marine Protected Area

Tourism

SanParks: Public consultation opens for Robben Island Marine Protected Area

8 Feb 2024

De Berg Nature Reserve declared 30th Ramsar site

Environment & Natural Resources

De Berg Nature Reserve declared 30th Ramsar site

2 Feb 2024

Image source: cameramuse –

Legislation

Deadline for comments on review of Coastal Waters Discharge Permit extended

19 Jan 2024

Image source: shmergin –

Environment & Natural Resources

Celebrating SA’s firefighters

28 Dec 2023

Image source: nexusplexus –

Climate Change

SA welcomes COP28 agreement global adaptation efforts on climate change

14 Dec 2023

The green area is where Searcher Geodata will do its seismic survey in 2024. Map from consultant’s environmental assessment report

Environment & Natural Resources

Australian company to start seismic survey off West Coast in January

Steve Kretzmann 7 Dec 2023

Image source: Kervin Edward Lara from

Environment & Natural Resources

Requirements for environmental authorisation for renewable energy facility published

6 Dec 2023

SanParks to enhance visitor experiences with R700m boost

Tourism

SanParks to enhance visitor experiences with R700m boost

28 Nov 2023

Western Cape small-scale fishers finally get their rights

Fishing

Western Cape small-scale fishers finally get their rights

Liezl Human 16 Nov 2023

Source: © 123rf South Africa’s municipalities cannot modernise and acquire waste processing facilities to divert waste from landfill unless there is public-private sector investment

Circular Economy & Waste Management

8 key points promoting good practices in sustainable waste management and advancing the circular economy

15 Nov 2023

Creecy publishes Game Meat Strategy for SA

Food Security

Creecy publishes Game Meat Strategy for SA

13 Nov 2023

Environmental activists came together to picket outside Parliament to oppose TotalEnergies’ offshore drilling for oil and gas. Photo: Qaqamba Falintenjwa | GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Activists demand end to TotalEnergies offshore drilling

Qaqamba Falithenjwa 6 Nov 2023

Recreational fishing permit application now online

Fishing

Recreational fishing permit application now online

23 Oct 2023

Unitrans champions International Water Week with collaborative clean-up day

Environment & Natural Resources

Unitrans champions International Water Week with collaborative clean-up day

Issued by Unitrans 2 Oct 2023

Coal, Oil & Gas

South Africa gives go-ahead for TotalEnergies offshore drilling

Wendell Roelf 2 Oct 2023

Applications open for bursaries in environmental field

Bursaries, Scholarships & Finance

Applications open for bursaries in environmental field

22 Sep 2023

The Green Point marine outfall is one of three in Cape Town through which millions of litres of sewage are pumped out to sea daily. The City has been ordered to embark on a public participation process over the permits required for the operation of these outfalls. Archive photo: Steve Kretzmann | GroundUp

Circular Economy & Waste Management

Cape Town ordered to hold public hearings on sewage being pumped into the sea

Steve Kretzmann 21 Sep 2023

Image source: Alfo Medeiros from

Environment & Natural Resources

Unpacking the National Biodiversity Offset Guideline

Garyn Rapson, Paula-Ann Novotny and Nonhlanhla Mnengi 21 Aug 2023

Image source: Nicole Kruger from

Environment & Natural Resources

Rhino killings decrease by 11%

1 Aug 2023