The role of Parliamentarians in Protecting Biodiversity By Lance Greyling, MP (Environmental Spokesperson)
2004-09-07. When people think of biodiversity, they usually just think of plants and animals. Biodiversity is more than that. It is the complete diversity of all living organisms on the planet. Unfortunately this diversity is being destroyed at a rapid rate and we are currently in the sixth great extinction period of the planet. This extinction is mainly related to the impacts of humans.
Climate Change, habitat loss and
invasive alien species are all directly related to our actions. As
parliamentarians we must do everything within our power to ensure that
these impacts are minimized.
South Africa has a particularly large responsibility in this regard. We have the privilege of being the third richest country in the world when it comes to biodiversity. Unfortunately we also have one of the greatest extinction rates in the world. Our record in protecting this biodiversity is not always exemplary. We are one of the world's largest polluters of greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change that is destroying biodiversity globally. It is essential that we therefore become the prime leaders in the development of renewable energy. Although we have formulated biodiversity strategies throughout the country we sometimes choose to ignore them in our development plans. In this regard it is inconceivable that this government has proposed running a toll road through one of the richest biodiversity hotspots in the world. The Pondoland area has over 250 species which are not found anywhere else in the world and they are used by many of the local inhabitants for traditional medicines. We have not even begun to quantify the value of those species, and we are now proposing destroying it. South Africa is also rolling out genetically modified organisms without properly assessing the damage that can be done to our rich biodiversity. As parliamentarians we need to urgently revise the GMO act to ensure that proper environmental protection is in place.
Biodiversity does not only have an intrinsic value, but an economic one as well. Most of the world's medicines are derived from diverse species. These species are mainly found in developing countries and it is important that they derive an economic benefit from it. It is also vitally important that communities, particularly in South Africa, derive a direct economic benefit from the protection and sustainable utilization of biodiversity. We must rectify the tragic historical legacy of conservation meaning exclusion. This government has already started to address this issue but more needs to be done for communities to truly derive benefits from the protection of biodiversity.
South Africa has a particularly large responsibility in this regard. We have the privilege of being the third richest country in the world when it comes to biodiversity. Unfortunately we also have one of the greatest extinction rates in the world. Our record in protecting this biodiversity is not always exemplary. We are one of the world's largest polluters of greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change that is destroying biodiversity globally. It is essential that we therefore become the prime leaders in the development of renewable energy. Although we have formulated biodiversity strategies throughout the country we sometimes choose to ignore them in our development plans. In this regard it is inconceivable that this government has proposed running a toll road through one of the richest biodiversity hotspots in the world. The Pondoland area has over 250 species which are not found anywhere else in the world and they are used by many of the local inhabitants for traditional medicines. We have not even begun to quantify the value of those species, and we are now proposing destroying it. South Africa is also rolling out genetically modified organisms without properly assessing the damage that can be done to our rich biodiversity. As parliamentarians we need to urgently revise the GMO act to ensure that proper environmental protection is in place.
Biodiversity does not only have an intrinsic value, but an economic one as well. Most of the world's medicines are derived from diverse species. These species are mainly found in developing countries and it is important that they derive an economic benefit from it. It is also vitally important that communities, particularly in South Africa, derive a direct economic benefit from the protection and sustainable utilization of biodiversity. We must rectify the tragic historical legacy of conservation meaning exclusion. This government has already started to address this issue but more needs to be done for communities to truly derive benefits from the protection of biodiversity.
