SOUTH AFRICAN ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY MONTHLY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 003319 SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES/PCI, OES/ENV, AND AF/S DEPT PASS EPA/OIA, SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV SOCI ETRD SF SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICAN ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY MONTHLY BRIEFINGS, AUGUST 2007 PRETORIA 00003319 001.2 OF 003 ¶1. (U) Summary: This is the South African Environment, Science and Technology Monthly Briefings newsletter, August 2007, Volume 2, Number 5, prepared by the U.S. Embassy Pretoria, South Africa. Topics of the newsletter: -- SASOL THE SINGLE LARGEST SOURCE OF GREEN HOUSE GASES IN THE WORLD -- RADIO-QUITE ZONE MAY CREATE COSTLY UNITENDED CONSEQUENCES -- SOUTH AFRICA WATER LOSS LEVES UNACCEPTABLE -- MBOWENI FAVORS SUGAR CANE FOR FUEL PRODUCTION -- BIOFUEL INDUSTRY HAS POTENTIAL TO PROVIDE ENEGRGY AND JOBS -- SOUTH AFRICA LAUNCHES ENVIRONMENTAL GOODS AND SERVICES FORUM -- SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT FOREST INDUSTRIALIZATION PROGRAM CRITICIZED -- BLAZING INFERNOS RAVAGE SOUTH AFRICA COUNTRYSIDE End Summary. SASOL: THE SINGLE LARGEST SOURCE OF GREEN HOUSE GASES IN THE WORLD ¶2. (U) Officials of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) and the South African Weather Services (SAWS) told a parliamentary portfolio committee that SASOL, the world's largest synthetic fuels facility, is the single largest source of green house gases (GHG) in the world. DEAT Senior Policy Advisor on Climate Change Judy Beaumont also told the committee that South Africa has an extremely GHG-intensive economy because of its heavy reliance on coal burning for energy. South Africa is the largest contributor of GHG emissions in Africa, ranked at 25th in the world and 11th among developing countries according to information sourced from the United Nations International Panel on Climate Change. The data also reports that since 1981 South Africa has surpassed both the US and India in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced per $1,000 of Gross Domestic Production (GDP). ¶3. (U) African National Congress (ANC) Member of Parliament Aubrey Mokoena questioned South Africa's high emissions numbers and found it preposterous that South Africa produced more CO2 than the U.S., considering the relative sizes of their economies. Committee Chairman Langa Zita acknowledged the high-level climate change meeting in Washington DC called by the U.S. government for October. Zita suggested that the U.S. might present new commitments to GHG reductions during this meeting. The meeting will precede the 13th Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change scheduled for December 2007 in Bali. RADIO-QUITE ZONE MAY CREATE COSTLY UNITENDED CONSEQUENCES ¶4. (U) The Department of Science and Technology (DST) parliamentary portfolio committee held discussions with interested stakeholders regarding the proposed Astronomy Geographic Advantage Bill, which would allow DST to create a radio-quiet zone around the proposed site for the $1 billion Square Kilometer Array (SKA) in the Northern Cape. The radio-quiet zone would minimize or eradicate radio interference by aircraft radar, cell phone masts, radio frequency and television broadcasts, light pollution and human settlement. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and Transnet have both expressed concerns about the draft bill, stating that it could have costly unintended consequences. ¶5. (U) Transnet Chief Engineer for Tele-communications Danie Botha said his quasi-government entity could be required to replace radio equipment used on freight trains in the area with expensive alternative technologies. He said this could cost them in excess of $26 million over the next eight years. Transnet currently operates three key railway lines in the Northern Cape Province which generate over $143 million per year. The NAB argued that broadcaster license conditions require that the broadcaster provide services to all South Africans. NAB claims that minimizing broadcasts in the SKA area would violate those conditions. The NAB also complained that the bill would give the DST Minister powers that had previously been granted to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). SA is competing with Australia to host the multi-nationally funded SKA telescope, which would be the largest and most powerful radio telescope in operation. SOUTH AFRICA WATER LOSS LEVES UNACCEPTABLE ¶6. (U) Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) Director General Jabu Sindane told attendees to the inaugural Water Sustainability Conference in mid August, that water remains a scarce resource in South Africa. He said although the country is not in danger of running short of water in the near future, the current water waste levels are unacceptable because "South Africa is a dry country." The average rainfall in South Africa is only 450 millimeters per year, far below the world average of 860 millimeters. Sindane noted that South Africa loses approximately $430 million a year due to water leaks and poorly operated waste water treatment facilities. Irrigation accounts for sixty percent of all the water requirements in the country, while the remaining forty percent is shared among other sectors of the economy. The PRETORIA 00003319 002.2 OF 003 National Treasury allocated $700 million for bulk water services infrastructure in February this year. The national government and local municipalities have also established 20 water management agencies throughout South Africa, and have launched campaigns to encourage consumers to use water sparingly and efficiently. DWAF budgeted over $3 billion in the previous fiscal period to build 18 new dams over the next 20 years. The state-owned Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority will manage the building of the dams and plans to obtain additional revenue from the sale of water. MBOWENI FAVORS SUGAR CANE FOR FUEL PRODUCTION ¶7. (U) Addressing the parliamentary portfolio committee for finance in August, South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Governor Tito Mboweni urged maize farmers in the Free State not to shift to ethanol production because this could distort the domestic maize market and raise prices. He suggested that farmers move to sugar cane rather than maize as their source crop for biofuel production. Many Free State maize farmers have already sold their maize for up to ten years ahead on future markets. Mboweni is concerned that farmers may not be able to sustain maize production for animal and human consumption, as well as for fuel production. Mboweni said that South Africa should follow global alternative and renewable energy trends such as biofuel production, but must also act responsibly. He cited Brazil as an example to emulate, stating that the country had been producing bio-ethanol efficiently and sustainably from sugar cane and had used it to dilute gasoline for automobiles for decades. ¶8. (U) Mboweni did not support the U.S. production system which emphasized maize as the source crop. Mboweni remained skeptical that biofuel production would have a significant impact on the crude oil price, but did acknowledge that biofuel production is well-aligned with the South Africa government's Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGI-SA). The Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) supports the inclusion of maize, along with sugar cane, soya beans and sunflower seeds, as crop sources for bio-diesel production. BIOFUEL INDUSTRY HAS POTENTIAL TO PROVIDE ENEGRGY AND JOBS ¶9. (U) Principle Energy Executive Director Paul Zorner said South Africa needs to look at agriculture as a source of food and energy, and that Sub-Saharan Africa has a huge potential to make the biofuel industry a great success. He told delegates attending the opening of the 26th International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists that the global demand for energy and food will continue to grow, and that agriculture and technology could help South Africa meet the demand. According Zorner, every 1 billion gallons of ethanol produced in South Africa creates 8,000 jobs, 1,500 of which could be permanent jobs. Minister of Science and Technology Mosibudi Mangena has advised that the government is in the process of developing a national biofuel strategy, but he did not commit to any government subsidies for biofuels. Mangena cautioned that subsidizing biofuels would trigger other sectors such as agriculture to demand subsidization as well. ¶10. (U) The S&T Minister said that government has to conduct a delicate balancing act to develop the biofuel industry while not disrupting food production. Mangena agreed with SARB Governor Mboweni that maize should not be considered a source crop for biofuel because there is already a maize shortage in the country. Mangena also noted that water would be a serious challenge for the biofuel industry since irrigation already accounts for the largest share of water consumption in the country. Zorner commented that finance would be another key challenge facing the industry because the required equipment is expensive. The biofuel industry remains on hold in South Africa pending the government's promulgation of implementing regulations. SOUTH AFRICA LAUNCHES ENVIRONMENTAL GOODS AND SERVICES FORUM ¶11. (U) The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) launched the South African Environmental Goods and Services Forum (SAEGSF) in August. DTI Chief Director for Technical Infrastructure Dr. Tshenge Demana said that it has become increasingly vital for countries to meet international environmental standards if they wish to trade internationally. Demana underscored that South Africa needs to conform to international standards if it plans to be competitive in environmental goods. DTI Director of Environment Dorah Nteo, stated that SAEGSF would serve as the voice for the business sector providing a platform for communication and marketing. The international green industry is estimated to be worth $600 billion (R4.2 trillion) and continues to grow at 45 percent per year according to the DTI environmental directorate. South African demand for green goods and services was estimated at t between R14.5 billion ($2 billion) and R23.2 billion ($3 billion) three years ago. The sector contributes about 1.6 percent of GDP, employs over 500,000 people and is growing at an annual rate of 15 percent. SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT FOREST INDUSTRIALIZATION PROGRAM CRITICIZED ¶12. (U) The South African government released in early August the National Industrial Policy Framework (NIDPF) targeting forestry, furniture, paper and pulp as the lead sector for development in the PRETORIA 00003319 003.2 OF 003 next ten years. South Africa plans to establish forest plantations in the provinces of Kwa-Zulu Natal (100,000 hectares) and the Eastern Cape (40,000 hectares). The ultimate goal of the initiative is to create over 41,000 jobs in the plantations and about 2,000 jobs in primary processing and downstream sectors. An initial investment of about R1.5 billion ($0.2 billion) is required to establish the plantations, and a further "substantial" investment will subsequently be needed to create downstream processing operations according to the Department of Trade and Industry. ¶13. (U) Environmental NGOs, including Timberwatch Coalition spokesman Wally Manne criticized the South African government afforestration plan. Manne argued that the government's plan is not based on economic assessments, and does not consider the impact on poor rural communities. Manne noted that although the government is promoting the plan as a way to encourage rural development, there have been no studies indicating any real benefits to rural people. Manne said that such initiatives often end up disenfranchising rural people and driving them off the land and out of the jobs they once held. Independent environmental biodiversity assessment consultant Paul Desmet stated that because of the many untapped rivers in the Eastern Cape, the forest plan is viable in that province, but he would not say the same for the Kwa-Zulu Natal province, a water-stressed location. Other critics of the NIDPF note that even though the government admits that South Africa will experience severe water shortages by 2020, the government continues to aggressively expand water intensive programs such as this forest plan, agro-processing and biofuels. BLAZING INFERNOS RAVAGE SOUTH AFRICA COUNTRYSIDE ¶14. (U) Raging fires swept through Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) and Mpumalanga provinces in late July and early August, leaving behind destroyed properties, many people killed or severely injured, and thousands of wounded or dead animals. The fires occurred at the height of the winter season when most grasslands and forests are very dry. The fires were fanned by 90 kilometer per hour winds, which ripped the roofs off buildings. At least 22 people were killed in the fires, including nine in KZN and thirteen in Mpumalanga. A team of firefighters in Graskop, Mpumalanga lost five members in the fires and one firefighter drowned when attempting to escape the fires. Five sawmills and an estimated 25,000 hectares of forest land were destroyed in the Graskop and Sabie forest plantations. The Mpumalanga provincial government deployed all the firefighters at their disposal, and the South African Air Force sent out Oryx helicopters, which flew nearly 300 hours over the hotspots. Sappi, a company that owns vast forest plantations in the region, deployed its team of 400 fire fighters. ¶15. (U) Vic Jacobs of Electra Communications blamed the loss of life and property to slow action and indecisiveness on the part of the Graskop municipality and the national government. He said although a communications network had been presented to the authorities two years ago, the disaster plan had yet to be implemented. Elektra Communications has also developed an inter-linked network system which remote communities could use to send out alarm signals to a central point, but these too have not been installed. Jacobs complained that South Africa has not learned from the fires and the floods which struck the area in 2000 and 2002. He cautioned that businesses and tourists have been left without any contingency plans to deal with the emergencies, especially when disasters are coupled with power failures as happened in this instance. Jacobs praised the response of the private companies Sappi and Mondi, both of which sent in firefighting teams. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals also sent emergency teams to the area to help animals with severe burns. Bost