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SA govt sets aside R2.1 billion for “green economy” projects

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The National Environmental Affairs Department has set aside R2.1 billion which “green economy” projects will use to create jobs in the next few years. The department hosted a seminar at Queenstown in the Eastern Cape to provide feedback on COP17 and the forthcoming Rio plus-20 Sustainable Development Summit. Speaking at the seminar, the department’s Deputy Director Blessing Manale says they will avail more than R800-million for the greening projects and creation of jobs. “We gathered here in the Eastern Cape to give feedback about the COP17 to basically give feedback what happened in Durban what did the country agree to and what must we start to do to meet those commitments but most importantly we are having the most important briefings with stakeholders around the green economy which is an intervention aimed at creating jobs and growth in areas that generally did not create growth which is environment sector.”

The department hosted a seminar at Queenstown in the Eastern Cape to provide feedback on COP17 and the forthcoming Rio plus-20 Sustainable Development Summit.

Indalo Yethu project co-ordinator Asanda Masinyane has welcomed the announcement saying they will use the funds to drive education campaigns on climate change. “We are implementing eco towns around South Africa and Mngquma Municipality is one of our eco towns; we are doing street cleaning and greening; it’s also a poverty alleviation project; we have got about 310 beneficiaries that are doing street cleaning; we got a team of awareness that’s doing environmental awareness in all the schools,” says Masinyane. Rio +-20 on Sustainable Development Summit is set to take place from 20 to 22 June 2012.

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