South Africa is ready to join over 190 parties at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), taking place from 28 November to 9 December 2011 in Durban.
The primary objective of the conference is to reach agreement on how to effectively tackle climate change on global level in a fair manner, and in this way to address the threat it poses to human development and growth.
Ms Edna Molewa, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs is the Head of the South African Delegation for COP17, and in this role she is entrusted with the responsibility of leading the country’s delegation in pursuing its interests at the negotiations.
Climate change is arguably the biggest challenge facing humankind, and the foremost threat to sustainable development, economic growth and quality of life. The development strides achieved by the African continent in the last decade are at risk from the effects of climate change, and a global response presents an opportunity for Africa to further its sustainable development objectives.
Our delegation to this year’s COP, has been focusing on three preparatory work areas for the COP and they are:
- the development, compilation, approval and lobbying of the South African COP17 negotiating position
- the coordination and implementation of Greening and Legacy Projects that reduce or offsets the impacts of climate change in order to leave a lasting legacy; and
- the Public Climate Change Outreach and Mobilisation Programme that is aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of climate change by various communities in South African as we approach the COP.
In 2005, at COP 15 talks held in Copenhagen, President Jacob Zuma announced South Africa’s commitment to implement nationally appropriate mitigation actions which collectively will result in the reduction of emissions by 34% relative to our Business as Usual trajectory by 2020 and by 42% in 2025 enabled with finance and technology in a context of an international agreement.
This level of effort will enable our Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission to peak between 2020 and 2025, plateau for approximately a decade and reduce in absolute terms thereafter. The development of our climate change response policy took cognisance of these commitments as well.
We recently gazetted the National Climate Change Response Policy. With this National Climate Change Response Policy, South Africa now has a clear roadmap of how this nation, as a responsive government to the needs of our people, and a responsible global citizen will respond to the global challenge of climate change.
This policy embodies South Africa's commitment to a fair contribution to the stabilisation of global greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere and the protection of the country and its people from the impacts of unavoidable impacts of climate change. The policy outlines South Africa's vision for an effective climate change response and transition to a climate resilient and low-carbon economy and society.
As part of our programme we have proactively engaged with domestic stakeholders to develop South Africa’s national position and policy, and on the basis of which we engaged with the African continent and other negotiating colleagues such as the basic countries (Brazil, India, China and South Africa).
South Africa recognises that the success of COP17 is dependent on whether a balance can be struck along three primary areas of work. This balance must be achieved between operationalising the Cancun decisions and addressing pending issues from Bali that have not yet been finalised. In addition, balance must be achieved in how we deal with the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol negotiations.
Finally, a comprehensive and balanced advancement of all elements that will comprise the future climate change regime including setting up processes to clarify the legal form of such a regime under the Convention.
COP17 must provide opportunity for both South Africa and the African continent at large to ensure that Climate Change and the associated changes in climate patterns do not threaten development. For Africa the success of the climate change talks is central since it is projected that by 2080, about 70 million people and up to 30% of Africa's coastal infrastructure could face the risk of coastal flooding because of sea level rise.
South Africa, carrying the aspirations of Africa and the developing world hopes to succeed in keeping the Kyoto Protocol as part of a future climate regime, as we negotiate an outcome of the negotiations under the Convention. The outcome of COP17/CMP7 must ensure that all countries acknowledge that the effects of climate change on the planet, its people and economies are not ignored and that we all have a responsibility to save tomorrow today.
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