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Environment
Africa statement on World Environment Day
Environment
Africa
June 05, 2005
Recognising
the environment as the interaction between the bio-physical, socio-cultural,
political and economic spheres of our world, Zimbabwe’s leading
environmental organisation Environment Africa (EAfrica) notes with
concern the growing threat of conflict as a result of failure to
balance these dimensions.
As we mark World
Environment Day 2005 under the theme Green Cities – Plan for
the Planet, Environment Africa calls on all Zimbabweans
to recognise the human element as the major and central influence
on all other dimensions making up the environment.
Zimbabwe’s
Urban Environment - Where are we?
Challenging
economic and social conditions have taken a serious toll on the
man-made and natural environment, putting unprecedented pressure
on urban infrastructure and resulting in negative exploitation of
resources. This is evidenced by:
- The mushrooming
of informal settlements;
- Unsafe and
inadequate water supply;
- Deteriorating
sanitation and related services;
- Air pollution;
- Poor waste
management and
- Inadequate
power supplies.
Indeed urban
areas can be attractive environments in which to live if a holistic
approach is engaged, recognising that sustainable use and management
of resources also ensures our own survival.
Environment
Africa’s interventions to mitigate the environmental threats
EAfrica
works together with all sectors of society raising awareness, encouraging
action and advocating a better environment that uplifts the livelihoods
of current and future generations. This is exemplified in some of
the organisation’s current work:
- The Industrial
clusters initiative in which groupings of industry in a given
locality voluntarily network and pool resources to share best
practices in environmental management, including energy conservation,
water conservation and waste management. Cluster members have
come to recognise that it makes moral and economic sense to take
care of the environment, and that it is the responsibility of
all to do so.
- Urban
wetlands conservation drive in Harare: Marlborough and Monavale
Vleis are unique and significant natural water sponges also important
as habitats for unique bird species. Besides their value as contributing
to key natural water supply systems for the city of Harare and
beyond, these two areas hold immense potential for environmental
awareness education and eco-tourism. EAfrica has partnered Birdlife
Zimbabwe in a drive to protect these special areas.
- Integrated
Water Resources Management of Mukuvisi River - Recognising
that a long-term sustainable solution to Harare’s perennial water
crisis is in managing the entire river supply system, EAfrica,
supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
has taken on the challenge to manage the Mukuvisi River in a holistic
manner that takes into consideration the rivers many uses, users
and threats. The programme attempts to work with all the river’s
stakeholders to minimise its pollution in order to reduce the
costs to the city of cleaning its water and ensuring that it is
a healthier ecosystem for the life it supports.
- The programme
includes protection of the Cleveland Catchment area, including
promoting sustainable urban agricultural practices by farmers
supplementing heir household food security and income through
growing foodcrops on the catchment. The Mabvuku-Tafara communities
also engage in sound practices such as composting of organic waste
to reduce use of chemical fertilisers which could end up in the
river, waste management including waste separation and recycling.
- Biodiversity
awareness and conservation in Victoria Falls and motivation
of youth in environmental stewardship programmes. An on-going
alien invasive species programme in the world Heritage Site rainforest
at Victoria Falls, supported by that town’s tourism industry,
is fighting to ensure the survival of the forest’s natural flora
and dependent fauna. Environment Africa also works with surrounding
rural communities to support increased food security through small
grains farming more suited to that area’s naturally dry conditions.
An active youth programme in the town has seen the resort become
a model for responsible community service and environmental leadership
in Zimbabwe, through clean-ups and other awareness campaigns.
- Manica:
environmental conservation without borders - EAfrica’s Manica
branch’s work along and across Zimbabwe’s boarder with Mozambique
demonstrates that the environment knows no political border and
the need to work together to guarantee safer and sustained resources
for all. The branch is focussing on the areas of mountain ecosystems
management, environmental education in schools, threatened baobab
tree species, and supporting communities to formulate and enforce
their own environmental protection by-laws.
- Lupane:
improving livelihoods and food security through farming that recognises
local conditions – The organisation’s small grains programme
has gone a long way in assisting farmers to produce surplus in
this drought-prone region, and importantly helping to conserve
resources such as soils and water.
- Countrywide,
Environment Africa organises the annual Clean-Up Zimbabwe campaign
that aims to raise awareness and encourage positive action
throughout Zimbabwe to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment
becomes a way of life.
In all these
interventions, the key success factor is the human element. Urban
areas, being where large concentrations of human populations are
found, demand that particular attention is paid to consultative
and people-friendly environmental policy and planning.
Visit the Environment
Africa fact sheet
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