Mining and biodiversity guideline launched

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Mongezi Mtati

On 22 May 2013, the minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa and the minister of Mineral Resources, Susan Shabangu, will launch the Mining and Biodiversity Guideline: Mainstreaming Biodiversity into the Mining Sector, at Kirstenbosch, Cape Town. Minister Molewa will also launch the Life: State of Biodiversity Report.

Molewa

The guideline is a product of the collaboration between the South African Mining and Biodiversity Forum, the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Department of Mineral Resources. The guideline seeks to find a balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability and is a key outcome of the Outcome 10 Delivery Agreement.

The report is symbolic of the culmination of 100 years of science in assessing and highlighting the state of SA's biological and water resources. The launch will coincide with the United Nations International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB), aimed at creating awareness of the importance of biodiversity. The theme for this year's celebration of IDB is "Water and Biodiversity - Water is essential for life".

Both documents represent the linkages between contributing factors and assess the impacts of mining on biodiversity and water resources.