SA delegation attending World Parks Congress

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Pretoria - A South African delegation, led by Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa, is attending the World Parks Congress in Australia.

The South African delegation comprises government officials, representatives of conservation management authorities, SANParks and the People and Parks Programme, NGOs, universities, the business sector and local communities.

The theme for the 2014 Congress, held at the Sydney Olympic Park, is “Parks, People Planet: Inspiring Solutions”.  The congress, which started on Wednesday, will end on 19 November.

Delegates attending the congress are expected to consider ways to address the gap between conservation and the sustainable development agenda.

They will articulate the vital role of protected areas in conserving nature while delivering essential ecosystem services; position protected areas within goals of economic and community well-being, and demonstrate how this can be achieved in practice.

“The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Parks Congress (WPC) 2014 is a landmark global forum on protected areas held every 10 years.

“The 5th Congress was held in Durban, South Africa, in 2003. The Durban Action, adopted at the end of the 2003 Congress, was accepted by the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of Parties (CBD COP 7) as the Programme of Work on Protected Areas,” the Department of Environmental Affairs said.

The department said the WPC had influenced the way in which the world viewed the systems of protected areas.

“The series of congresses have influenced the perspectives of many people on the role of protected areas in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development among others.

“Each congress has been vital to conservation policy worldwide, addressing global challenges and opportunities, establishing standards to ensure that protected areas are effective and are sources of inspiration and innovation for the next following decade,” the department said.

South Africa participated in the symbolic handover of a torch to the Congress host during an opening ceremony on Wednesday as the hosts of the previous Congress.

South Africa also chairs the IUCN South African National Committee.

Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, Barbara Thomson, said the management of natural resources in a diverse and developing country was a tremendous responsibility.

“It requires innovative solutions, youth-centred policies, sustainable financing as well as harnessing strategic partnerships to unlock opportunity – all the while mindful of the need to balance the developmental needs of that country with conservation,” Deputy Minister Thomson said. – SAnews.gov.za