Greens will determine economies

2011-11-25 07:45

Ballito - The green movement, which advocates the protection of the environment, will soon determine how economies are run, Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said on Thursday.

The movement would also determine how political parties rose to power, Mbalula told delegates at a sport, environment and climate change seminar in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal.

South Africa had adopted ambitious goals for the green economy, which were part of the New Growth Path Strategy, he said.

"That is why we have assembled this contingent this morning to share ideas and opinions on what needs to be done."

The aim of the seminar was to devise strategies to counter-act negative effects of climate change.

"We are called upon as sport and recreation fraternity to make our humble contribution into the debates and discussions," said Mbalula.

The 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) provided an opportunity for the sport and recreation movement in the South Africa to enter into a global climate change debates.

It was important for sport authorities to take part in protecting the environment, because the construction of sports facilities had an impact on the environment and ecosystem, he said.

"It is fundamentally true that organised sporting events, whatever their scope and scale, also have ramifications on the environment and ecosystems."

He said athletes, spectators and fans could be mobilised to implement best practices on sustainable development.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Sam Ramsamy told delegates that his organisation had played a huge role in encouraging countries to create environmentally friendly sports facilities.

He said he had been impressed at how China had introduced environmentally friendly facilities when Beijing hosted the Olympics three years ago.

London, which will host the games next year, had also implemented everything that the IOC proposed, he said.

- SAPA