Maputo — Ignorance of environmental rules, and sheer greed are at the root of environmental degradation in Mozambique, accused Policarpo Napica, National Director of Environmental Management in the Environment Ministry, in Maputo on Monday.

Napica was speaking at the opening of a regional seminar on environmental management systems for southern African companies, at which small and medium companies are supposed to exchange their experience in this field.

The meeting, scheduled to last for five days, will look at general environmental topics, but also the specific issues of textiles, agro-industries, mining and tourism.

Napica attacked those businesses which want to obtain "fabulous profits", regardless of environmental damage. They were compromising the survival of future generations, he said.

Although in several southern African countries, including Mozambique, efforts were being made to ensure the sustainable use of resources, attitudes and behaviour still existed that resulted in harm to the environment.

He cited the notorious case of the Portuguese-owned cement factory in the southern city of Matola, which is polluting the atmosphere, and endangering public health (this factory was the target of an environmental protest demonstration on Saturday).

He noted that some companies dump waste in the Maputo and Infulene rivers in Maputo province, and that trees are being indiscriminately cut down without adequate replanting.

The government wanted to stop these abuses, he stressed, and so was working on legal mechanisms that would contribute to improving the use of natural resources. It was particularly important, he said, that existing environmental legislation, such as the Environmental Impact Assessment regulations, should be respected before would-be investors started implementing their projects.