The South African chapter of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) reiterated the organisation’s deep concern on Tuesday over the proposed route of the new N2 toll road through the Wild Coast.
”WWF-SA strongly objects to the green fields section between Port Edward and Lusikisiki and believes that a small but important shift northward of the proposed routing could have substantially reduced environmental costs, while maximising development spin-offs,” the environmental lobby group said in a statement.
Acknowledging the urgent need for socio-economic development in the region, WWF-SA maintained that the current route through the Pondoland centre of endemism — species occurring nowhere else on earth — would result in negative environmental and social impacts.
WWF-SA said an improved transport system held the potential to contribute to the sustainable development of the region, provided it was integrated into overall land-use planning.
”The organisation believes that real, lasting poverty reduction is only possible if the environment is able to provide the goods and services people depend on, and if natural resources are used in a manner that does not undermine long-term sustainable development.”
The real challenge was in finding appropriate development options which did not destroy the natural resource-base on which they rested, with eco-tourism one such alternative, the organisation said. – Sapa