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Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System --------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 09 Oct 2007 Title: Navigation warning after iceberg sighting --------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------- By Janine du Plessis St Francis Bay - The National Sea and Rescue Institute (NSRI) has issued a navigational warning to all ships passing near St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape, following a report of an iceberg on Monday. Craig Lambinon, spokesperson for the NSRI told BuaNews Tuesday, that the maritime warning alerted all ships and vessels to be on the lookout for the iceberg to avoid accidents. "We received a report from a fishing vessel, called the Ntini, late on Monday which spotted an iceberg 35 Nautical Miles from the Eastern Cape coast. According to the report the iceberg is 25 meters in length and 20 meters in height," said Mr Lambinon. He said though he could not confirm the existence of the iceberg, but he could confirm that there had been a report filed on it. Mr Lambinon said the NSRI would monitor the movement iceberg to find out more. Media reports early on Tuesday suggested that the iceberg was a symptom of global warming. Last month world leaders gathered in New York to discuss climate change at the 62nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). In his address to the gathering, President Thabo Mbeki warned that the effects of climate change, be it in the form of droughts, floods or unpredictable and extreme weather patterns, undermined the world's common efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. He further cautioned that the costs of doing nothing about climate change far outweighed those of taking concrete measures to address the challenge. "It is clear that delaying action on this matter of climate change will hit poor countries and communities hardest. Yet the pace of climate change negotiations is out of step with the urgency indicated by science. "I would therefore urge that we collectively aim for a significant advance in the multilateral negotiations when our negotiators meet in Bali in December this year," he said. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe also cited climate change as one of the most pressing global issues presently. "Its negative impact is greatest in developing countries, particularly those on the African continent." He added that in Zimbabwe, the effects of climate change had become more evident in the past decade as it had witnessed increased and recurrent droughts, and occasional floods, leading to enormous humanitarian challenges. United States President, George W Bush concurred with other leaders that climate change was a major problem that had to be dealt with urgently, but suggested that nations deal with this issue according to individually set goals and targets. "Each nation must decide for itself the right mix of tools and technologies to achieve results that are measurable and environmentally effective," President Bush said last month at the Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change. "While our strategies may be differentiated, we share a common responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while keeping our economies growing." - BuaNews |
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