In a statement from the South African Embassy in Portugal, South Africa (SA), in winning a 2025 World Future Policy Award, solidifies the country’s role as global leader and pioneer in environmental management.
According to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), Dr Dion George, SA received this prestigious reward for its National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act of 2004 (NEM:BA). It is lauded as one of the world’s eight best policies in the main category, Living in Harmony with Nature and Future Generations. “The awarding of the World Future Policy Award, the world’s leading prize for policy solutions, is testament to SA’s role as a global leader and pioneer in environmental management,” Minister George said.
The Award, conferred by the World Future Council, celebrates laws promoting ecological sustainability. SA’s NEM:BA, adopted in 2004, is one of specific environmental management acts under the overarching National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA). It is considered as one of the world’s most ambitious and progressive biodiversity frameworks.
SA’s National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, is considered one of the world’s most pioneering frameworks for protecting Nature. The Law embodies a vision of justice—ecological, social and intergenerational and transforms a constitutional right into living reality through a science-based and participatory system which protects one of the planet’s richest natural heritages.
According to Dr George, the Act is grounded as constitutional right to a healthy environment, securing intergenerational equity through a science-based governance system and safeguards biodiversity for present and future generations. The Act introduced ground-breaking measures for threatened and invasive species, conservation of ecosystems, sustainable use of biological resources, benefit-sharing and inclusive public participation processes.
“This year’s eight award-winning policies set new global benchmarks by showing how legal systems can be transformed into future-just frameworks, contributing to the well-being of all living beings on earth and future generations. Six of the eight winning policies were awarded in the main category; the ‘Vision Award’ and ‘Global Impact Award’,” Minister of DFFE, Dr Dion George
An independent jury of international experts selected the winning policies from an initial 41 nominations from 21 countries. These ground-breaking frameworks address today’s urgent environmental challenges while safeguarding the wellbeing of future generations. The winners were honoured on 11 October 2025 during a high-level awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi.
Mr Sydney Nkosi, Head of Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Biodiversity and Conservation, Protected Areas Systems Management, with his delegation, accepted the award.
At the event, the laudatory speech was given by Dr Christopher Dunn, Executive Director of Cornell Botanic Gardens, current Chair of the IUCN National Committee for the USA and Jury member of this WFPA.
The award ceremony can be watched on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y3TMDqxa8c
