Photo: groundWork
On 12 January 2012, the Centre for Environmental Rights made submissions to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs on the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill, 2011 on behalf of groundWork, the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance and the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance.
Many civil society and community organisations are particularly concerned about the offence the Amendment Bill proposes if an air pollution-related warning (which is not defined in the Bill) is issued without written permission of the South African Weather Service. For the reasons we set out in the submissions, if the Bill is passed in its current format, this offence is likely to have negative implications for the environment, public health, and particularly, civil society participation in environmental governance.
Public hearings on the Bill will be held in Parliament on 24 and 25 January 2012.
The South African Weather Service Act, 2001, as well as the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill, 2011 are available here.
Read more about the Centre’s work on pollution, waste and land use here.
Media Release: Civil Society and Community Organisations Challenge Draconian South African Weather Service Amendment Bill
Tomorrow, 24 January 2012, and 25 January 2012, Parliament will hold public hearings on the South African Weather Service Amendment Bill, 2011.
Many civil society and community organisations, including groundWork [1], the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) [2], and the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA) [3], are particularly concerned about the offence the Amendment Bill proposes if an air pollution-related warning (which is not defined in the Bill) is issued without written permission from the South African Weather Service. If the Bill is passed in its current format, this offence is likely to have negative implications for the environment, public health, and particularly, civil society participation in environmental governance and community information dissemination.
Community organisations who conduct independent monitoring of air quality by sending samples for laboratory analysis, and advising the public (including through media releases) of the results of such analyses, face a R5 million fine and/or five years’ imprisonment for a first conviction of this offence. They can also be held liable for any loss or damage that arises as a result of the offence. This is despite the fact that such organisations disclose air pollution-related information in the… Continue reading...