The Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs welcomes the ratification by Parliament yesterday of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in terms of section 231(2) of Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
The Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol was adopted by Parties to the Kyoto Protocol in 2012 to provide for the 2013 to 2020 second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol that provides legal emission reduction obligations to be undertaken by developed countries. This second commitment comes after the expiry of the first commitment to the Kyoto Protocol between 2008 and 2012.
The ratification by Parliament shows South Africa’s commitment to maintain a multilateral and rules based international legal regime to address the climate crisis. This acceptance of the Doha Amendment sends a signal to the international community that we are serious about finding a global solution to climate change by depositing an Instrument of Acceptance before the UNFCCC COP 20 that takes place in Lima, Peru from 1 to 12 December 2014.
We also call upon other Parliamentarians of the World to ratify the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol as part of the World effort to mitigate the negative impacts of Climate Change.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Faith Kwaza (Ms)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8062
Cell: 072 122 0371
E-mail: fkwaza@parliament.gov.za
