This year’s World Environment Day (WED) celebrations in South Africa comes after the National Treasury allocated R800 million for the Green Fund over the next two financial years, which represents a critical resource mechanism to achieve a just transition to a low carbon, resource efficient and job creating green economy growth path in the country – as envisaged by the New Growth Path, climate change and National Sustainable Development policies.

Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said government hopes to form partnerships with international funding institutions to spend the allocated funds.

Speaking at the WED celebrations in Mangaung (Bloemfontein) on Tuesday, Molewa explained that by restoring and preserving natural ecosystems, rural economies could be stimulated, rural and urban jobs created and help maintain critical ecosystem services that are vital to the economy such as energy and water supply.

She said that the environment could be used to fight unemployment and poverty. “We must ensure that our efforts aimed at creating job opportunities as we transition towards a Green Economy include young people,” she said. South Africa is part of the global campaign to promote sustainable development and this forms part of the global drive to promote a green economy.

WED was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment to create, educate and raise awareness on environmental conservation.

In South Africa, June is observed as National Environment Month, with all citizens mobilised to implement integrated interventions to protect the environment. This year’s celebration is being held under the international theme: Green Economy: Does It Include You?.

According to Molewa, the department has planned to create about 62 860 job opportunities within the department’s Environmental Programmes. She said 55% of beneficiaries would be women, 40% would be youth and 2% would be people with disabilities.

The Green Fund is run through the Department of Environmental Affairs and managed by the Development Bank of Southern Africa.