Latest news with #Swarts
IOL News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Deputy minister urges urgent action to combat desertification and land degradation
The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Bernice Swarts has welcomed the need for members of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to do more in addressing desertification, land degradation, and drought while continuing to build strong partnerships for integrated solutions. Image: Supplied The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, has welcomed the need for members of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to do more in addressing Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought (DLDD) while continuing to build strong partnerships for integrated solutions. On Tuesday, on the first day of the four-day conference, the deputy minister delivered her keynote address to various member states and dignitaries gathered at the Radisson Blue Hotel in Sandton. "In the next four days, we will deliberate on issues relating to desertification, land degradation, and drought. I am pleased to confirm that many faces here are not new to me, as I had an opportunity to meet many of you during the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification 16th Session of the Conference of the Parties in Saudi Arabia. "As you may recall, the UNCCD COP16 underscored the need to mobilise additional and innovative resources to support Parties in accelerating actions and interventions on the ground to address desertification, land degradation, and drought, and synergies with other environmental issues." Swarts said desertification, land degradation, and drought form part of the priority focus areas for South Africa's Presidency of the G20 Environment, Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG). Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ "For the first time in the history of the G20 Presidency, South Africa has made a bold commitment by including DLDD issues among its G20 priorities. This commitment fosters global solidarity in addressing the drivers of DLDD while promoting the mainstreaming of Sustainable Land Management practices and approaches across key sectors. "The main focus under the G20 ECSWG priority on DLDD is on the implementation of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets and their deliverables," she said. Speaking on the importance of Integrated Land Use Planning (IDN – ILUP) and target setting programme of the UNCCD, Baron Jospeh from the UNCCD Secretariat stressed the need for vertical and horizontal integration strategies. "I embrace the need for vertical and horizontal integration strategies, and the key thing is that once you fully embrace this approach, you are going to be linking various data sets. You are going to be able to better position cross collaborations," he said.
1News
12-05-2025
- Sport
- 1News
NZ U85kg team complete clean sweep over Sri Lanka
The NZ U85kg side have achieved a historic clean sweep of their two-match tour to Sri Lanka, beating the hosts 32-6 in Colombo. The match was played in front of an estimated 25,000 spectators at the Racecourse Stadium, the second big crowd in a week to watch the first New Zealand representative rugby side to visit the country in 70 years. After last weekend's 50-10 win for the NZ U85s in Kandy, the Sri Lankan Tuskers were expected to field a more experienced line up for the return match. Several players who took the field against Malaysia a fortnight ago were rested, something vice-captain Josh Gellert said they'd factored into their preparation. "We've identified the changes in their team," said the openside flanker. "A big thing for us is being connected throughout the group, making sure everyone's confident. "A big thing for us is proving to the guy next to you why you got picked, so I think that message will be to keep that defensive structure pretty firm." The game was tight through the opening 10 minutes, but the NZ U85s broke things open with some clever kicking. Outstanding fullback Francis Morrison collected a chip from wing Pieter Swarts, and flicked the ball on for captain and first five Jarred Percival to score. Swarts was in the action again not long after, linking with Ben Megson to send Percival over for his second. The Tuskers hit back with a penalty goal to Nigel Ratwatte, but Swarts got in on the scoring action himself, with a well taken try in the corner. Percival converted from wide out to make the score 17-3 at the break. The Tuskers had their best period of the game early in the second half, with Ratwatte slotting another penalty, but that was the last time they'd trouble the scoreboard. Gellert was too strong close to the line and powered over, followed by another perfectly weighted kick that set up Morrison to score the final try of the game. "We knew we were going to be up for a battle," said Percival after lifting the Sir Graham Henry Trophy, named after the World Cup-winning coach and team patron. "We scored some awesome tries, played brilliantly and opened them up in the second half. The fans were amazing, they cheered for us… it's an atmosphere we've never experienced back home." Once again, the U85s had to contend with 30-degree heat, despite the game kicking off at 6pm local time. Several players, including Percival, were forced from the field with heat exhaustion. "I think I was in the ice bath for about 15 minutes, before I could even go join the boys on the sideline again. I don't think it portrays on TV just how tough the conditions are - it was seriously hot." The team now return to the New Zealand club season, after their fortnight of being superstars in Sri Lanka. This week, they have been engaged in some official functions involving the NZ High Commission and travelling patron Sir Graham Henry, as well as visiting a local biscuit firm that's sponsoring the tour. Gellert, who usually spends his weekends playing for the Auckland University Slug Collectors club side in front of crowds of mostly partners and friends, said it was an incredible experience. "People are coming up to us on the streets, asking for photos and autographs," he said. "It's something that will probably never feel normal for this group of boys. "We were warned about how much Sri Lanka love rugby, but I don't think anything could have prepared for what it's truly like. As soon as we got off the plane, we were getting interviewed, but we love it. "We're the club battlers, so we're stoked at having the limelight."
