This week the Namibian government
has made history by taking a landmark decision on behalf of the environment for
current and future generations by banning marine phosphate mining for the next
18 months. Cabinet has sited that we
must be cautious and that “such mining cannot happen if there is no certainty on what
impact these phosphate mining activities could have on the environment.” This is the first
time that the Namibian government has taken a stand such as this by making
reference to the Environmental Management Act 2007, section 3(2)(k) which
enshrines the precautionary principle in law.
Cabinet has set a very clear precedent that the Namibian government
takes this provision of law very seriously.
We thank them for their vision and wisdom.
The Namibian government has also taken a stand in
terms of the Constitution, section 95(l) which states that the government must
maintain "…ecosystems, essential ecological processes and biological
diversity of Namibia and utilization of living natural resources on a
sustainable basis for the benefit of all Namibians, both present and future.” The
late honourable Chief Justice, Justice Mahomed described the Constitution in a
landmark decision stating that the Constitution "...is a mirror reflecting
the national soul/the identification of the ideals and aspirations of a nation,
the articulation of the values bonding its people and disciplining its
government." Indeed this week we
have demonstrated that the soul of our nation has not been lost.
We are one of the few countries in the world with
the protection of the environment enshrined in the Constitution. It is our duty
to honour, protect, and defend this provision. The living Constitution is
the supreme law of our country, which governs the creation of all laws and the
interpretation of those laws. Our elected government officials take an
oath to uphold, protect and defend all provisions in the Constitution. This
week they have demonstrated to us that they take this oath seriously. We thank them.
This week our government has decided that it will
not compromise the integrity of our supreme law by promoting industry that will
directly and dramatically decrease the sustainability of the living marine
resources, leaving behind an ocean that cannot provide for future
generations. Phosphate mining of the seafloor is a major concern for
leading marine scientists worldwide as it could cause a collapse in the marine
ecosystem which provides a very important source of food and jobs in a drought
ridden developing nation such as Namibia in addition to being home to one of
the most productive marine wildlife ecosystems in the world. The concerns of the scientists have finally
been taken seriously, with Namibia taking the lead worldwide to consider
science in decision making.
Along with the government, many key stakeholders
have stepped up to the plate and taken a stand to raise concerns and awareness
on marine phosphate mining, also stating that we must remain cautious as there
could be potentially disastrous effects. As many of you know, the Earth Organization along with a larger group of partners have been fighting for the precautionary principle to be employed with regard to Marine Phosphate Mining since 2011. The communities raised their concerns and reflected that the potential
cost of going forward with marine phosphate mining would not be acceptable to
society. The principle cited by the
people was that if society does not accept the cost then the government should
not either [Environmental Management Act 2007, section 3(2)(h)].
The decision to place a moratorium on marine
phosphate mining has put Namibia as a world leader in wise and cautious
thinking in terms of marine mining.
Where many other countries have rushed forward in causing irreparable
damage to the marine environment by not taking scientific reasoning into
account, Namibia has shown wisdom in being cautious. This very caution is exactly how sustainability
is achieved. Indeed if this type of
decision making continues to take place, we face a bright future. The very sun that is on our flag is the light
which Namibia shines for the world to see. We have set the precedent.
Let us continue to be the example for others to
follow. May we always stand in the soil of
unwavering truth and let justice prevail as the most beautiful blossom.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
Please take the time to send a thank you letter to
our honourable Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Bernhard Esau who
took the lead to ensure that our marine environment is sustainable for current
and future generations by sending an email to besau@mfmr.gov.na
For more background information on the hazards of
marine phosphate mining, please go here:
https://sites.google.com/site/earthorganizationnamibia/action-campaigns/marinephosphatemining
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