Download on the occasion of the Sport, Environment and Climate Change

The Speech of the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Honourable Mr FA
Mbalula (MP), on the occasion of the Sport, Environment and Climate
Change Seminar, Zimbali Resort, Ballito, KwaZulu Natal Province, Republic
of South Africa, 24 November 2011.
Programme Director;
Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation, Mr G. Oostuizen;
Premier of KwaZulu Natal, Dr Zweli Mkhize;
MEC of Sport and Recreation in KZN, Ms Ntombikayise Sibhidla;
IOC Executive Board Member, Dr Sam Ramsamy;
President of SASCOC, Mr Gideon Sam;
Director General: SRSA, Mr A Moemi;
All the invited Presenters present here this morning;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Since the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) entered into force in 1995, the Conference of the Parties (COP)
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) have been meeting annually to assess progress in dealing with
issues related to Climate Change.
Not only the COP, but also many
organizations including governments, civil society, business and labour
have been meeting since to tackle the impact of Climate Change to
human existence.
For an example, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in
Kampala, Uganda which its findings where published in 2011 has
observed that:
1
“It is virtually certain that increases in the frequency and magnitude
of warm daily temperature extremes and decreases in cold
extremes will occur in the 21st Century on the global scale and that
it is likely that the frequency of heavy precipitation or the proportion
of total rainfall from heavy falls will increase in the 21st century over
many areas of the globe; by the end of the century, if greenhouse
emissions continue unabated, the type of heat wave that now
occurs once every 20 years will be occurring every couple of years
across large areas of the planet; human vulnerability to them is
growing as well”.
Hence in 1992, the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change acknowledged that climate change is the threat to
human existence and its adverse effects are a common concern to
humankind and that the global nature of climate change calls for the
widest possible cooperation by all humanity and countries; and further
call for their selfless participation in an effective and appropriate
international response to this change.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here to respond to that call
which was made by the Conference of Parties in 1992 and became in
force in 1995 which South Africa will be hosting its COP17 gathering on 28
November 2011.
We are therefore called upon as sport and recreation fraternity to make
our humble contribution into the debates and discussions on the role sport
and recreation can play into the struggle against rapid and dangerous
climate change and the environmental impact of our activities which
lead towards abnormal climate changes.
2
Hence the upcoming UNFCC Conference of Parties 17 provides an
opportunity for sport and recreation movement in the Republic of South
Africa to enter into a global discourse on initiatives that we have
engaged contributing to the Climate Change debate and dialogue,
including projects and activities as well as awareness and education.
To this instance, it is important for the sport and recreation movement to
accept that to make sport and recreation accessible to all in the Republic
and that South Africa should be one of the chosen destinations for sports
meetings
and
world
cups
and
championships;
equipment
and
infrastructure are necessary for the practice of sport and physical activity.
The construction of these facilities has inevitably had an impact on the
environment and ecosystem of the country and the world. It is true that
the practice of sport and recreational activities including physical activity
carries certain effects and has a certain impact on the environment and
ecosystems, that its effect and nature is circumstantial depending on the
type of recreational and physical activity and sport practiced.
It is fundamentally true that organized sporting events, whatever their
scope and scale, also have ramifications on the environment and
ecosystems. Role players in sport and recreation are aware that these
aspects have an impact on nature, the environment, and ecosystems.
However, it should be also known that sport and recreation as well as
physical education can serve to promote environmental protection and
awareness.
Sport and Recreation can go a long way to mobilize society from their
organized and unorganized formations to respond positively into the
3
climate change. To this end, athletes, spectators, fans and the broader
community of sport and recreation can be mobilized to take action and
demonstrate certain actions and methods to promote best practices
towards sustainable development. The case in point here is the 2010 FIFA
World Cup project. The Local Organizing Committee committed itself to
conduct an environment impact study of the construction of the stadia
before applying to the FIFA executive committee to host the 2010 FIFA
world cup. The LOC kept to its promise to do as such to protect the
environment and the people living in and around that environment. The
LOC also mobilized the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to assist
in the cause to act on diverse strategies, including awareness raising on
the part of the event organizers FIFA and LOC as well as on consultation
mechanisms on the sport movement level, on political level and the
communities in general.
This places the education dimension and consultation on the impact of
sport towards climate change at the center of the debate of sport and
climate change.
This places our sport and sport movement at the
forefront of its actions for sport and environment.
Ladies and Gentlemen, sport is ideal for developing attitudes and values
such as solidarity, mutual support and mutual respect and respect and
care for others. Sport has a potential to be an instrument to educate
everyone and offer an opportunity to benefit from education and
awareness to learn the values, behaviour and lifestyle that are not hostile
to a sustainable future and environment; and for positive societal
transformation. We need to put a strong emphasis on sustainable active
living and integrate it in our vision for an active and winning nation. This
action will enable us to answer many questions of our ability to integrate
4
sustainable development with sport, recreation and physical activity. This
action is embedded within our strategy of healthy lifestyle and how do we
deal with a healthy, which somehow must ensure appropriate access to
sports and recreation in compliance with human rights and human
solidarity.
We must join hands with the peoples of the world to answer three basic
questions:

How do we introduce and explore the relationships between the
promotion of quality sport, recreation and physical activity in line
with the pursuit of sustainable development.

How do we in our conversations in sport and recreation circles
answer questions related to whether and where may be a need
to integrate sport, recreation and physical education with the
pursuit of protecting the environment in order to achieve
healthier individuals in a healthier society and healthier
environment based on our vision of an active and healthy
nation.

Lastly, what are our general guidelines, strategies and protocols
and specific steps for moving forward our goals of better life for
all with a special reference to better physical education, sport
and recreation in a mutually supportive action.
We must answer these questions to re-enforce resolutions taken in the UN
Conference on Environment and Development and the Olympic
Movement in 1992 at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 19 years ago. These resolutions
will help us to make a case for sport and recreation in the upcoming
5
COP17 Conference and fully prepare for the June 2012 Rio plus 20 Earth
Summit.
In the 1992 Earth Summit the sport movement across the globe committed
itself to integrate the environment into its activities and to develop the
Agenda 21 for the Olympic Movement and to explore various methods
towards the protection of the environment and promote best methods for
sustainable development. We also committed ourselves to further explore
various methods of engaging young people in environment education,
challenges faced by sports people in a world of rapid climate change
and teach youth in sustainable development issues beyond the Youth
Olympic Games – seeking opportunities to work with other partners, in
particular UN entities, to promote Olympic ideals through our own
engagement processes, seminars and conferences.
That is why SRSA has assembled this contingent this morning to share ideas
and opinions on what needs to be done; what is our contribution into
climate change and take stock on what we have done to promote clean
environment, sustainable development and devise strategies to counteract negative effects of climate change.
Thank you.
END!
6