PARLIAMENTARY BRIEFING
Four Key Focus areas of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism are:
· TOURISM GROWTH AND JOBS
Create the conditions for responsible tourism growth and development
KEY EVENTS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS:
1. Launch of the international marketing campaign in our traditional 'Big Six' markets
2. Launch of a travel website
3. Tourism Indaba in Durban
4. Awarding the tender for international marketing research and segmentation, which will form the basis of our new marketing campaigns to open up emerging markets
5. Amendments to the Tourism Act
6. Launch the Soweto Heritage Trail and the craft programme using Poverty Relief Funds
7. Put on the market 16 eco-tourism investment sites in the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park
· BROWN ISSUES
Promote and enhance the safety of the environment
KEY EVENTS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS:
1. Launch of the White Paper on Integrated Pollution and Waste Management
2. Amendments to NEMA to incorporate framework legislation for pollution and waste management, and promulgate regulations
3. Launch of 36 waste management job-creation projects using Poverty Relief Funds
4. Start the comprehensive database of pollutants and their trends
· HERITAGE RESOURCES
Promote the conservation and development of the natural and cultural resources of this country for sustainable and equitable use
KEY EVENTS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS:
1. Official opening of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Southern Africa's first transfrontier conservation area
2. Presentation the South African proposal on the African Elephant to CITES
3. The Convention on Biological Diversity conference on Biodiversity
4. Launch of the White Paper on Coastal Management
5. Start the process of establishing a coherent national system of heritage and conservation management that will also link with other initiatives to establish transfrontier conservation areas and consolidate wildlife areas, such as the Addo Elephant Park.
6. Working on South Africa's new applications for World Heritage Site status and the Donor conference on the future of the Cape Floristic Kingdom.
· INFORMATION AND PLANNING
The provision of accessible environmental and tourism information for sound planning and decision-making
KEY EVENTS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS:
1. Complete the process of agentising the Weather Bureau and SANAP (South African National Antarctica Programme)
2. Upgrade the Department website: www.environment.gov.za
3. Set up the Centre for Environmental Information and Statistics, and promote and market our world-class website, the State of the Environment Report on the Internet:
www.ngo.grida.no/soesa/.
4. Launch of the NEMA (National Environmental Management Act) review and implementation process