DRAFT WESSA Strategic Review Narrative Report June 2022

How

WESSA’s thematic work areas will focus on the key environmental issues of climate action, biodiversity and habitat protection, and the reduction of pollution. As an organisation committed to supporting the challenges that our planet faces, and the people that live on it, we have made a decision to articulate our thematic areas in a positive way to facilitate climate action, biodiversity and habitat integrity, and pollution reduction . The below section is not an exhaustive list but a work plan that is aimed at leveraging of existing work and the immediate opportunities identified by the Working Group. Climate Action Combatting climate change is in our best interest nationally. Our national circumstances and developmental needs require that we prioritise this. It affects not only our environmental realities but our economy and society as well. We need to join other countries that have shifted toward low-emissions policies that affect how global trade and demand for goods and resources are shaped by such policy change. It is also needs to be a major contributor to the combatting of poverty reduction and the eradication of inequality. major contributor to the combatting of poverty reduction and eradication inequality.

WESSA Education

FEE Blue Flag and Green Key

Advocacy through the WESSA Environmental

Working with renewable energy partners for education

Governance Committee

Opportunities • Development of a toolkit for civil society mobilisation and a civil society receptive to action. • Develop (redevelop) education and training material to approach corporate and public service on the basics of climate change and the climate crisis. • Develop teacher training for climate change to support the school curriculum. • Incubating Youth-led climate action (Activate Change drivers as potential partners). • Reviewing WESSA education programmes to fall under our three key themes and emphasising this with our schools. • Developing a climate change education course for Department of Basic Education (DBE) officials. • Fostering relationships with tertiary institutions, to strengthen our alliance with the DBE.

WESSA offers solutions, not just critique.

Three sub-themes have been identified under the key theme of climate action:

Mitigation, adaptation and

Advocacy - legal, accountability, stakeholder engagement, policy contradiction resolution and alliances with other organizations

Fossil Fuels – supporting the just, but urgent transition to renewable.

resilience – people, security, livelihoods (food and water).

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