In 2010, government’s Economic Cluster convened the first Green Economy Summit, to map out a green growth pathway that creates jobs while reducing pollution and using South Africa’s natural resources wisely. There is growing recognition that economic growth cannot be at the expense of ecosystems, as reflected in Strategic Priority 9 of the Medium Term Strategic Framework for 2009-2014: Sustainable use and management of natural resources. Ministerial Performance Agreements include the protection of environmental assets and natural resources. But to deliver on these imperatives, the country needs environmental skills, from entry level sorters in the recycling industry to highly qualified scientists. Without such skills, there is no green growth path. And without an enabling national skills system, the required environmental skills cannot be produced at the scale required.

 

DEA’s Environmental Skills Sector Plan, the HCD Strategy of the Department of Science and Technology’s Global Change Grand Challenge, the Biodiversity HCD Strategy and the capacity development initiatives of the Department of Water Affairs, all promote mechanisms for connection and coordination. Sector-wide initiatives are needed if these strategies are to succeed. Although there are many platforms for stakeholder interactions, there has not been a platform for South Africa’s environmental sector to interact in its entirety, and to engage as a sector with the country’s skills development agencies.

The 2011 Environmental Skills Summit will focus on the progress made during 2010 in shaping this enabling skills system, on how agencies can utilize the new provisions made, and on addressing the remaining gaps and obstacles. It will encourage dialogue and actions to address collective concerns across organisations and between the environmental sector and the skills sector.

Click here to register or to obtain more information, contact the summit organizer, Renee Le Roux on Tel: + 27 12 843 5092 or email: r.leroux@sanbi.org.za.