1. No category

What is
The Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development-nrg4SD is composed of Regional
Governments and Associations of Regional Governments. nrg4SD was formed at the Johannesburg World
Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD, 2002) by a group of regions committed to policies of
sustainable development to be a voice for, and to represent regional governments at the global level,
promoting sustainable development and partnerships at the regional level around the world.
The Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development-nrg4SD, has the following basic
objectives:
! To represent Regional Governments at a global level.
! To promote Sustainable Development at the regional government level throughout the world.
! To share information and experience concerning Sustainable Development policies with Regional
Governments throughout the world.
! To promote understanding, collaboration and association between its members.
! To seek international recognition of the contribution to Sustainable Development made by Regional
Governments.
! To obtain representation at International Organisations and National Governments.
nrg4SD
5th Conference & 1st General Assembly
Global Partnership on Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Post-Disaster
Settlements
Lake Toba Summit
Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia
10th -12th March 2005
The First Summit of The Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development (nrg4SD) was held
from 10th -12th March 2005 in Lake Toba, -Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia. This event was the first
General Assembly in the constitution of the Network. The Sponsors were: North Sumatera Government,
UNITAR, UN-Habitat & UNEP.
The theme was Global Partnership on Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Post-Disaster Settlements. Some
200 regional governments from more than 42 countries took part in the world regional governments
meeting on sustainable development. Delegates to the conference analysed the opportunities for
partnerships on early warning system to prevent disaster, rehabilitation and reconstruction of post disaster
settlements, at a regional government level within the UN system. Moreover the Summit focused on
translating commitments into reality and strengthening the results of the World Summit on Sustainable
Development and Millennium Development Goals.
The meeting was a historic event for North Sumatera in particular, and for Indonesia in general. Over
200 000 people lost their lives or are missing while thousands of others became displaced by the tsunamis
which hit many parts of Asia, including Aceh and North Sumatera, India, Sri Lanka and East Africa on
26th December 2004.
Provincial Government of the Western Cape
The Western Cape Provincial Government is a member of The Network of Regional Governments for
Sustainable Development (nrg4SD).
Dr Laurine Platzky (Acting HOD of Housing) and Mr Mark Gordon (Director: Functional Support,
Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning) attended the Conference under the
delegation from the Premier.
38
In the Network's General Assembly meeting the Provincial Government of the Western Cape (PGWC) was
elected International Chair of nrg4SD and the Vice-chair for the Africa Region.
The conference highlighted challenges facing developing countries with achieving the goals of sustainable
development. This was particularly difficult in the context of the disaster which took place in Banda Aceh in
Northern Sumatera but highlighted the need of governments of the world to be proactive in developing
contingency plans for national disasters. It was observed that in many respects that the problems being
faced with human settlements, poverty and lack of infrastructure mirrored the current problems facing
South Africa, particularly the Western Cape.
With its new role as chair of the network under the leadership of Minister Tasneem Essop the Provincial
Government of the Western Cape is strategically positioned to direct activities of the nrg4SD towards
achieving global consensus on sustainable development initiatives.
A presentation will be arranged whereby the whole Department will be invited to discuss the outcomes of
the Lake Toba Summit.
For more info:
nrg4SD:
http://www.nrg4sd.net
Conference: http://www.dambaintra.org/toba.html
Compiled by:
Sub-Directorate: Operational Policy & Transversal Co-ordination
Directorate: Functional Support
Poverty and lack of infrastructure are usually the foremost challenges for
rehabilitating post-disaster communities
39
Department Contributes to
Youth Development
I was stimulated to write this article by a series of events I experienced recently that illustrate the stark
contrasts and the tremendous potential that makes South African society so unique and challenging.
Let's start with CapeNature's three Youth Service Programme groups stationed at Driftsands Nature Reserve,
near Khayalitsha, Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve near McGregor and at Witfontein at the Outeniqua Nature
Reserve just outside George. The Umsobomvu Youth Development Fund supports the groups financially
and CapeNature provides accommodation and logistical support. Each group of about 24 learners is
undergoing Nature Conservation Field Ranger Training. They spend time at a variety of reserves in their
vicinities learning a variety of field ranger skills, both in theory and in practice. I was fortunate enough to
have the opportunity to contribute to this wonderful initiative through responding to a request from the
Chief Director: Environmental and Land Planning, Ms Dipolelo Elford, for a volunteer to give presentations
on Environmental Impact Assessment to the three groups.
I learned that each group of 24 is supported by two “team leaders” or site officers, employed by
CapeNature. The learners complete the years training with a certificate in National Resource Guardianship.
The dedication and enthusiasm about
youth development shown by all six of
the team leaders really impressed me
immensely. The team leaders at Driftsands
are Nosipho Mhlawuli and Khanyisa
Kulashe, those at Vrolijkheid are Linda
Mtshibe and Eugene Ohlson and those I
met at George are Charlene Gelderbloem
and Khaya Baba.
After my presentation and discussions on
impact assessment at Driftsands, we were
guided on a site visit to Blue Downs town
centre by Percy Langa of the regional IEM
Directorate. There we were met by a
planner with the Oostenberg
Administration of the City of Cape Town.
He and Percy who illustrated the EIA
theory I had presented during the morning
by discussing the real life communities and
the issues that they raised during the
environmental assessment process for the
development of the town centre.
Driftsands YSP group at Blue Downs CBD site visit with
Percy Langa and the planner from the City's
Oostenberg Administration.
My second presentation was to the group of learners at Vrolijkheid. Ayub Mohamed of the regional IEM
Directorate accompanied me. After lunch we all visited the site of the proposed regional shopping mall,
adjacent to the small dam alongside the N1 that skirts Worcester, that has recently been approved by the
Department. Ayub discussed that particular application and the issues and concerns that had been raised
by the Worcester community. These issues varied from welcoming the proximity of the proposed shopping
facility by many, rejection by the heritage authority of an alternative site, the old slave market, within the
town centre, to opposition by the existing businesses in the Worcester town centre, clearly concerned by the
forthcoming spatial and economic competition. Site leveling had commenced but there was an eerie
silence and lack of construction activity for a huge complex due for completion within the next 2 to 3 years.
Apparently the Department has recently received new applications for a Casino and an additional petrol
filling station and associated facilities adjacent to the approved site.
40
The third presentation was to the
group situated at Witfontein
situated outside George. On each
of the three occasions, after giving
my presentation and answering all
the learner's incisive questions, I
joined the learners for a sandwich
and juice lunch prepared by
themselves before going off on the
afternoon site visit.
Danie Swanepoel, of the regional
IEM component in George had
organised for Cathy Averinos of
Hilland Associates, the consultants
responsible for the environmental
assessment that led to the
Vrolijkheid YSP group at Worcester site visit
with Ayub Mohamed.
Kingswood Golf and Country Estate's
approval, and currently the
construction site Environmental
Control Officer, to guide us around
the site. Cathy gave the group a
thorough briefing on the whole EIA
process and the environmental
issues that arose in compiling the
scoping and EIA Reports that led
to the authorization of the estate.
River rehabilitation, alien clearing,
suburban traffic routing, dust and
numerous other factors were issues
of concern at this site.
The YSP lecture “hall” at Witfontein.
Cathy took us on an extended walk
to some key points of environmental interest within the very active construction site. The group was shown
the 'carpet' of wattle seedlings emerging from the areas of riparian wattle infestation that had recently been
burned. She showed the learners test plots where experiments on the chemical removal of the seedlings
was undertaken to compare results with the hand removal of seedlings. The group was shown the river
and told about the river restoration
programme, which included the
involvement of CapeNature's aquatic
specialist, Dean Impson from the
Jonkershoek Conservation Station.
Witfontein YSP group at Kingswood Golf and Country
Estate site visit briefing with Cathy Averinos
and Danie Swanepoel.
Following my initial briefing about
what I hoped that she would
illustrate during the site visit and
telling her about the Youth
Development Programme and the
assistance that the learners would
need to find jobs once they had
completed their course Cathy
thrilled me by commenting that
appropriate jobs in the
environmental field regularly came
to her notice during the course of
her projects. She later told the
41
Witfontein YSP group at Kingswood Golf and
Country Estate with Cathy Averinos.
group about this and offered to
keep in contact with the course
leader and let the learners know,
through him, of job opportunities. I
realized that if one environmental
consultant was willing to help place
the learners then, with my contact
list of about 300 consultants
throughout the province I was
uniquely placed to facilitate a lot
more placements. I have since emailed appropriate information
about the programme to all my
consultant and related contacts with
appropriate contact details for the
course co-ordinators to see if we
can get more of the learners into
jobs as soon as their courses end.
As an aside, on the morning of the presentation at Witfontein, there was a large plantation fire raging
nearby. The students had just helped to organize breakfast for the Working on Fire crew. As a seriously
vocally challenged person I was thoroughly impressed by the crew's impromptu renditions of what I was
told were fire fighting songs while they waited to be transported back to fight the fire. Really stirring stuff!
t the completion of each visit all of the
departmental officials involved encouraged
the YSP learners to grasp the opportunity
that the Programme was offering them,
actively seek jobs at the completion of the
course and make the most of their newly
acquired skills.
At the end of the Kingswood Estate site
visit I returned with the learners to
Witfontein. After the farewell, as I emptied
the sand of the golf estate out of my shoes
I watched as the group ceremonially
lowered the national flag outside the main
office building, standing proudly with
their hands clasped over their hearts.
The Working on Fire crew.
The Fire near Witfontein.
42
With a feeling of pride and faith
in the future of conservation in
our country I left George at
about 16:30 on that Thursday
evening, overnighting in a
relatively inexpensive homely
guesthouse in Barrydale. I left
Barrydale the following morning
at the crack of dawn, caught a
mid-day plane to Durban and
after a three-hour drive up
through the Natal midlands,
arrived at Cayley Lodge at the
foot of the Central Drakensberg.
That weekend I attended a
workshop on Biodiversity and
Environmental Impact
Assessment and Monday
through Wednesday the annual
conference of the South African
affiliate of the International
Association for Impact
Assessment (IAIAsa) at the
Champagne Sports Resort that's
another story.
But there lies the stark contrast!
On Thursday a lunch of tinned
Vienna sausages and bread and
jam with our underprivileged
youth at Witfontein and on
Friday evening, elegant dining at
Cayley Lodge at the foot of the
Cayley Lodge.
Drakensberg. There I was in the
company and style of the
wealthiest of the wealthy, some of them not much older than those with whom I had lunch the day before.
What a mixed range of emotions I felt sitting on my own at dinner that evening watching the quiet reserved
guests in the dining room and listening to the less than reserved conversations emanating from the
youngsters at the bar on the mezzanine above! Certainly the short time interval between the two meals
focused my mind and emotions on the contrasts so evident in our society.
I hope this account serves to remind you of the huge
economic gaps and challenges in our country and
encourages you all to go the extra mile to empower
our youth and assist them in finding jobs even if you
wouldn't read that directly in your formal job
description. Would it be too much to hope that
some of the YSP learners to whom I recently gave
presentations will one day have the pleasure of
dining at Cayley Lodge or attending a conference
at Champagne Sports Resort, even it is just to attend
a professional event at government expense rather
than for a holiday at their own account? But then
who knows in this amazing country of ours?
IAIAsa Conference venue,
Champagne Sports Resort 2004.
AIAsa Conference, Champagne Sports Resort.
Dennis Laidler, October 2004
43
Why it is Necessary to
Remove Invasive
Alien Trees
This Department is often on the receiving end of
complaints, particularly from northern hemisphere
residents, about our government's policy of
removing invasive alien trees. Their usual
approach is to say that trees, indigenous or alien,
help to maintain the global climatic balance and
conserve water and that any policy that
encourages the removal of trees must be crazy. I
also have a friend of German origin who firmly
believes this, irrespective of what I try to explain to
him. I think this must be one of those elementary
environmental 'facts' taught at all primary schools
throughout Europe! I guess that many of you also
have friends, family and acquaintances that
question the logic behind the policy. I recently
had to compile a letter responding to just such a
complaint from an Austrian visitor so I thought I'd
take the opportunity to publish the information in
our newsletter to help you all explain the logic
behind the policy if you are tackled, either
officially or unofficially on the matter.
very wet cold fronts that arise in the Southern
Atlantic and sweep across our province regularly in
winter. Those same fronts, fed by water
evaporating from the surface of the sea, still sweep
around the southern oceans in our summer but the
whole westerly wind belt moves slightly southwards
in summer so the fronts pass south of us.
There is a desperate need for us to re-double our
efforts to take control of invasive alien plants in our
country. Independent experts have estimated that
we shall lose the equivalent up to four Berg River
(Skuifraam) dams worth of water yield if we do not
gain control over these invaders. At close on R2
billion for the cheapest of the dams, it is a water
impact that we cannot afford without even
calculating the additional costs in terms of
biological diversity, agricultural production, fires,
soil erosion and much more.
If the logic that trees increase rainfall holds,
then there would be evidence that there
was an increase of rainfall after the
introduction of invasive alien plants in the
Western Cape over the past centuries.
There is no evidence of that, of course.
Moreover, notwithstanding the efforts of the
Working for Water programme and
responsible land-owners, there are now
more water-guzzling invasive alien plants
in our province than when the programme
began in 1995.
Of course one has to start by conceding
that there are examples of areas of the
world where forest cover does have a
significant influence on rainfall. These include,
for example, the vast areas of tropical rain forest
in central Africa and South America and perhaps,
to a lesser extent, the extensive temperate forest
areas of the Northern hemisphere landmasses.
This is not the case for the Mediterranean-climate
areas of the Western Cape however. Our rainfall
is generated from large regional weather systems
that develop over the southern oceans, and the
cover of vegetation on land, in our case, does not
influence the amount of rain we get. Those of
you who live in our province are familiar with the
44
The commercial value of some indigenous species,
should not be under estimated.
These invasive alien plants are a major threat to
our long-term water security, and unsubstantiated
opinions to the contrary can weaken the resolve of
people to deal with the issue timeously and
effectively. It is the same for another major threat
to our water security, namely that of climate
change.
This Department is often on the receiving end of
complaints, particularly from northern
hemisphere residents, about our government's
policy of removing invasive alien trees. Their
usual approach is to say that trees, indigenous or
alien, help to maintain the global climatic
balance and conserve water and that any policy
that encourages the removal of trees must be
crazy. I also have a friend of German origin who
firmly believes this, irrespective of what I try to
explain to him. I think this must be one of those
elementary environmental 'facts' taught at all
primary schools throughout Europe! I guess that
many of you also have friends, family and
acquaintances that question the logic behind the
policy. I recently had to compile a letter
responding to just such a complaint from an
Austrian visitor so I thought I'd take the
opportunity to publish the information in our
newsletter to help you all explain the logic behind
the policy if you are tackled, either officially or
unofficially on the matter.
There is a desperate need for us to re-double our
efforts to take control of invasive alien plants in our
country. Independent experts have estimated that
we shall lose the equivalent up to four Berg River
(Skuifraam) dams worth of water yield if we do not
gain control over these invaders. At close on R2
billion for the cheapest of the dams, it is a water
impact that we cannot afford without even
calculating the additional costs in terms of
biological diversity, agricultural production, fires,
soil erosion and much more.
If the logic that trees increase rainfall holds, then
there would be evidence that there was an
increase of rainfall after the introduction of
invasive alien plants in the Western Cape over
the past centuries. There is no evidence of that,
of course. Moreover, notwithstanding the efforts
of the Working for Water programme and
responsible land-owners, there are now more
water-guzzling invasive alien plants in our
province than when the programme began in
1995.
Of course one has to start by conceding that
there are examples of areas of the world where
forest cover does have a significant influence on
rainfall. These include, for example, the vast
areas of tropical rain forest in central Africa and
South America and perhaps, to a lesser extent,
the extensive temperate forest areas of the
Northern hemisphere landmasses. This is not the
case for the Mediterranean-climate areas of the
Western Cape however. Our rainfall is generated
from large regional weather systems that develop
over the southern oceans, and the cover of
vegetation on land, in our case, does not
influence the amount of rain we get. Those of
you who live in our province are familiar with the
very wet cold fronts that arise in the Southern
Atlantic and sweep across our province regularly
in winter. Those same fronts, fed by water
evaporating from the surface of the sea, still
sweep around the southern oceans in our
summer but the whole westerly wind belt moves
slightly southwards in summer so the fronts pass
south of us.
Cultivating our indigeneous flora should
certainly be harnassed to gain control of
alien vegetation in sensitive areas.
These invasive alien plants are a major threat to
our long-term water security, and unsubstantiated
opinions to the contrary can weaken the resolve of
people to deal with the issue timeously and
effectively. It is the same for another major threat
to our water security, namely that of climate
change.
Our current drought has focussed attention on
many aspects of water use and water saving.
45
Droughts are nothing new in Southern Africa, but
the circumstances in which we find ourselves
today are different in some ways to what they
were in the past. In the first place, the population
of Cape Town and its surrounds have grown
tremendously in the past two decades, and the
rate of growth continues to accelerate. There are
therefore simply so many more people with
whom we have to share our scarce water
resource. Secondly, all indications are that the
climate is changing. This is due largely to the
burning of fossil fuels, predominantly to satisfy
the disproportionate energy needs of the
Northern hemisphere countries, resulting in a
build-up of “greenhouse” gasses in the
atmosphere. On average, the world's climate is
now about 0.6ºC warmer that it has been since
records began about 150 years ago. The
predictions are that by the year 2050, the change
will be in the order of 2 to 5ºC warmer. The
western half of southern Africa, where we find
ourselves, is predicted to get much drier as well,
with a probable reduction of 5 - 10% in mean
annual rainfall, and a 10% decrease in water
runoff by the year 2015, due to the southward
migration, even in our winter, of the Westerly
wind belt that drives the oceanic frontal weather
systems from which the Cape receives it rainfall.
In the Cape we need to have a serious response
to this situation, based on the best possible
scientific understanding of the water cycle in our
area. The responses should include the
introduction of comprehensive water-savings
measures, and the consideration of measures to
decrease the risk of supply failure. We must clear
invasive alien trees, and restore our catchment
areas to a cover of indigenous fynbos. This is
both a sensible and sustainable option. It has
clearly been demonstrated by years of local
scientific research in our catchments that these
invasive alien trees reduce the summer
streamflow from catchment areas, thus reducing
flow into our dams, particularly during our
summer - the dry part of our year. Indigenous
Fynbos largely comprises plants with small
sclerophyllous leaves (leaf cells having thick,
hardened, water retentive cell walls) that
dramatically slow down transpiration of water
from the plants so they don't act as water pumps
drying out the soil. The structure of Fynbos plants
also blankets the soil allowing rainwater to
penetrate the soil and be stored there. It's
important to realise that most of the water we
have stored in our catchments is stored in the soil
and rocks of our mountains and not in our dams.
The water in the soil seeps out slowly over time
and mountain streams feed our dams, many of
them continuing to flow, feeding our dams, right
46
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through the dry summer season. Alien trees pump
this water out of the soil so the streams dry up
sooner than they would if the catchment was
covered with Fynbos plants.
Alien trees also constitute excessive fuel loads
when compared to our natural Fynbos, so they
significantly increase the intensity of veld fires. This
bares our mountain slopes and soils significantly
more than is the case after natural Fynbos fires and
leads to severe erosion of our mountains, silting up
our streams and dams. These intense fires also
sterilise the soils, killing seeds and other
propagules, that normally survive milder Fynbos
fires, increasing the recovery time or even
preventing the recovery of our natural waterconserving Fynbos. The intense fires also, of
course, cause more damage to peoples property
and even lives.
Many of the alien trees, that currently blight our
Western Cape ecosystems, were originally
introduced to stabilize dynamic coastal dune
systems. This disastrous and ill-considered
measure led to the interruption of sand flow along
our coasts and across headland by-pass dune
systems, (like the Hout Bay system that used to
feed Sandy Bay and is now covered with houses
rather than alien trees), depriving many of our
world-renowned beaches of sand. The subsequent
invasion of the alien trees into the lowland and
mountain Fynbos areas of the Cape has been
devastating.
Fynbos is a complex of extremely specially adapted
communities of plants, many of which are totally
unique, or endemic, to the Cape. They are
especially adapted to the poor soils and harsh
climate of our region. They recover rapidly from
natural veld fires and rapidly restore the vegetation
cover on our mountains thereby minimising erosion
and extending stream-flow through our dry
summer season.
The Cape Floral Region is one of the richest areas
for plants in the world. It represents less than 0.5%
of the area of Africa but is home to nearly 20% of
the continent's flora.
As you know from my article in the previous
newsletter, at the United Nations World Heritage
Committee annual meeting in China on 30 June,
the Cape Floral Region (CFR) was inscribed on the
list of Natural World Heritage Sites. The region
was described as one of "outstanding universal
significance to humanity", which, apart from its
exceptional beauty, is one of the richest areas of
plant species in the world. The site displays
outstanding ecological and biological processes
associated with the Fynbos vegetation, which is
unique to the Cape Floral Region. The
outstanding diversity, density and endemism of
the flora are among the highest worldwide.
Unique plant reproductive strategies, adaptive to
fire, patterns of seed dispersal by insects, as well
as patterns of endemism and adaptive radiation
found in the flora are of outstanding value to
science.
The inscription of our natural heritage is a fantastic
achievement for South Africa, with great
significance for our role as global leaders in
responsible tourism and sustainable environmental
management. It underlines our responsibility to
ensure the wise use of resources like the Cape
Floral Regions and it places us in an excellent
position to expand responsible tourism and
generate much-needed employment.
The heritage site is made up of eight protected
areas, considered to be the most important
protected examples of the Cape Floral Region
(CFR). They are Table Mountain National Park
(including the Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden), De
Hoop Nature Reserve, the Boland mountain
complex, the Groot Winterhoek wilderness area,
the Swartberg mountains, Boosmansbos
wilderness area, the Cederberg wilderness area
and Baviaanskloof, which straddles the Western
and Eastern Cape boundary. It is significant to
note that the CFR World Heritage Site is a serial
site. This means that as other areas within the
CFR attain appropriate conservation management
status, by for example removing invading alien
tree populations, application can be made to
have them added to the current areas
representing the CFR Site.
To allow our unique floristic heritage to be
replaced by an invasion of a few species of alien
tree species would be a great loss to South Africa
and the World.
I hope that the information I have provided here,
helps you to better understand the reasons for the
legislation government has introduced to control
the spread of alien trees in our country and
understand that the legislation is one of a suite of
progressive measures that has recently put in place
to manage our scarce water resources and
conserve our unique natural flora.
Dennis Laidler, Deputy Director: Biodiversity
Management with acknowledgement to Brian van
Wilgen of Environmentek, CSIR and Guy Preston of
Working for Water for their inputs.
Controlled veld fires are most often used to stimualte fynbos regrowth.
Photos: courtesy of Cape Nature and Dennis Laidler
47
People and the environment to
benefit from SoE Reporting
Western Cape Department of Environmental
Affairs and Development Planning (D:EA&DP) took
up the challenge towards implementing
sustainable development goals through State of
the Environment Reporting (SoER). SoE reporting is
motivated by sustainable development principles,
and is a tool that can be used in the
implementation and measurement of sustainable
development goals.
Not very condusive to the environment.
more analytical work required for Phase Two
towards the end of June 2005. This involves the
development of a set of indicators that will track
key environmental issues, and the production of
the Western Cape SoER 2005 (Year One).
Mainly, the objectives of the Western Cape SoER
are to integrate environmental reporting and
monitoring functions among most provincial
departments. Also, to contribute towards the
National Environmental Outlook Report and
municipal SoER programmes for enhancing a
variety of provincial planning and reporting
initiatives, especially the Western Cape Provincial
Spatial Development Framework (PSDF). The
assessment of environmental information gathered
by the Province will inform and guide provincial
policy and management, providing an integrated
approach to sustainable development for the
Province.
Good planning makes for a
clean environment.
The purpose of SoE reporting is to provide
information about the condition of the
environment, enabling us to understand and deal
with environmental problems. SoE reporting
provides a link between scientists or “knowledge
generators” and decision-makers or information
users. The Western Cape D:EA&DP is coordinating
the provincial SoE initiative, while SRK Consulting
has been appointed to manage the Year One
Western Cape SoER. This is the first SoER being
prepared for the Western Cape Province, although
other municipal SoER's have been completed.
The Western Cape SoER will guide the Provincial
Government of the Western Cape (PGWC) to make
informed decisions about our environment, and
become pivotal to provincial strategic planning.
Also, the report will provide the public with access
to environmental information.
The SoE report is being prepared in two phases.
The first phase, Western Cape SoE Overview
Report, was completed in June 2004, and contains
bottom line information on the current state of the
environment. Most importantly, it provides a
framework or “launch pad” for the detailed and
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The SoER ultimately will provide the benchmark for
provincial SoE reporting to be scientifically done,
and easily integrated into national and
metropolitan SoE reporting programmes.