National Environmental Management, Biodiversity Bill; National Environmental Management Amendment Bill: adoption

Meeting report

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
11 November 2003
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, BIODIVERSITY BILL; NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AMENDMENT BILL: ADOPTION

Chairperson; Ms G L Mahlangu ANC

Documents handed out:
National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Bill [B30B-03]
National Environmental Management, Biodiversity Bill Amendments
National Environmental Management Amendment Bill [B29B-03]
Draft Committee First Term Programme 2004

SUMMARY
The National Environmental Management, Biodiversity Bill was approved with substantial amendments. The National Environmental Management Amendment Bill was approved without any amendments. The Committee Programme for 2004 was adopted.

MINUTES
Committee Programme
The Chair requested all members to consider the Committee's Annual Report for 2003 which had previously been circulated amongst members in a study group. The Report will only be released once it has been adopted by the Committee.

In discussing the Committee Programme the Montreal and Beijing protocols would be discussed on Tuesday 18 November and the following week the Richtersveld community on Tuesday 25 November 2003. The Committee Programme for 2004 was adopted (Please refer to attached document).

National Environmental Management, Biodiversity bill Amendments

Please refer to attached document.

Ms K Maphanga, Director, Specialist Law Reform Researcher Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism said the main submissions were; the need to monitor the impact of Genetically Modified Organisms, and the need to protect community indigenous knowledge' rights.

Both these matters were remedied through the respective proposed amendments; the South African Biotechnology institute could be mandated to monitor and report on the impact of GMO's and amendments such as the one proposed to Chapter 6: Bioprospecting, Access and Benefit-Sharing would adequately protect the rights of indigenous communities.

Ms Maphanga agreed that the current animal welfare legislation was inadequate as raised in the public hearings, but said this should be dealt with by the relevant Department.

Dr P Botha Deputy Director Trade and Regulation Department of Environmental Affairs And Tourism presented the proposed amendments to the committee who agreed to all the amendments (see attached document) and additionally substituted the word 'possible' in 63.1.(a) with 'unauthorised'.

The Committee unanimously agreed to all the amendments.

National Environmental Management Amendment Bill [B29-2003]
The Committee unanimously approved the bill with no amendments.

The meeting was adjourned.