Gender Equality holds provincial consultative dialogues on Climate Change

Issues of Gender and Climate Change were set out in the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) Policy document “No Gender Equality Without an Earth to Have It On” which was adopted by the Poverty Committee in January 2008 which was also incorporated in the Strategic Plan 2008/13.

The CGE developed a position on renewable energy which was submitted to National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) in December 2009. In preparation for COP17 which will be held in December the CGE proposes to host Gender and Climate Change dialogues.

Engagements with the non-governmental organisations (NGO), Gender and Climate Change (Gender CC-Women For Climate Change) have taken place. The engagement yielded partnership which strives to bring together organisations working in the field of gender and climate change.

On completion of the dialogues, the following is expected:

• The CGE will be able to present a position at a national platform to the National government.
• The CGE will intervene effectively in the construction of a National Climate change Response Act.
• The CGE will be able to effectively monitor the representation of this position by the SA government at the COP17 negotiations

To achieve the above the CGE will host nine consultative provincial dialogues during the months of July and August 2011. One National Consultative Dialogue will be convened during the month of October 2011.

Since the dialogue will inform policy development and legally binding agreements, it would be imperative to invite stakeholders who will be able to assist in crafting recommendations for policy changes.

The specific outcomes of the provincial dialogues are to:

• bring together stakeholders to discuss the impact of climate change on the environment
• identify good practices and information gaps in climate change policies.
• determining how South Africa will be represented at COP 17 in December 2011.
• To determine how will people’s lives and livelihoods change as a result of climate change
• coordinate information exchange on climate policies and issues, amongst civil society organisations and with other interested parties.
• formulate policy options and position papers on climate related issues.
• undertake further collaborative action to promote effective involvement in efforts to avert the threat of global warming.
• initiate civil society capacity building and public awareness raising to promote government and individual action, to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels and develop capacity to adapt to climate change.

Possible stakeholders for provincial dialogues:

• Department of Environmental Affairs
• Department of Minerals and Energy
• Department of Water Affairs
• Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
• South African Weather Services
• Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research
• South African Environmental Observation Network
• Green Peace
• Water Research commission
• Earthlife SA
• Eskom

 CGE provincial details for climate change (Cop17) dialogues

Enquiries:
Javu Baloyi
Cell: 083 579 3306