Earth day 2022: DA governments continue to invest in environmental resources to combat the effects of climate change

24 April 2022

Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbite by Dave Bryant MP 

Last week 22 April 2022 the global community was observing Earth Day, an annual event to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

The theme of Earth Day 2022 is “Invest in Our Planet.” Earth Day however, comes at a very difficult time for South Africa, particularly, KwaZulu-Natal in light of the tragic inclement weather events that have unfolded in parts of that province.

The DA has been warning for many years that if governments choose to ignore the potential impacts of climate change and do not act accordingly, there will be devastating consequences. What happened in KZN demonstrates in graphic detail that climate change is not something that will affect future generations alone. It is something that is happening right now.

All spheres of government must take urgent steps to mitigate and adapt to the changing natural environment. As more information emerges, it is clear that the ANC government was repeatedly warned about the dangers of flooding in KZN but did not act accordingly to address the identified areas of vulnerability. Whilst the scale of the heavy rains would have undoubtedly provided significant challenges to any part of the country, it is clear that the impact could have been minimised if more stringent contingency plans had been put in place.  The province’s aging infrastructure including drainage and storm water systems, has been severely neglected by the local ANC government over many years.

In contrast to the static response of ANC administrations, DA-led governments across the country are working hard to provide ongoing maintenance and are investing in our municipal infrastructure and environmental resources. This ensures that DA-led governments can protect residents from many of the most severe impacts of climate change and continue to deliver services to all, especially those living in our most vulnerable communities.

Investing in our planet is something that the DA continues to do where we govern. We must remember that our environment and the economy are intrinsically linked and both are essential to the quality of people's lives.

Issued by Dave Bryant, DA Shadow Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, 25 April 2022