The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Buyelwa Sonjica
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Green Economy Summit Conveners
City of Johannesburg Mayor Amos Masondo
Distinguished delegates
Thank you very much for the opportunity to address this important Summit.
It takes place at a time when the full attention of the world is focused on South Africa. In only 23 days from today, South Africa will host the first FIFA World Cup Soccer tournament ever to be held on African soil.
It confirms the progress that South Africa has made since 1994, in establishing itself as an important and valuable member of the global community of nations.
We view the Soccer World Cup tournament as a special gift for the people of South Africa for working together to build a non-racial democracy from the ashes of apartheid.
Distinguished delegates,
We have as one of our priorities, the imperative to contribute to building a better Africa and a better world. To do that, we should amongst other things, tackle the challenges of climate change and chart an economic path that is both fair and sustainable.
Climate Change is one of the greatest sustainable development challenges of our time. Solutions to deal with this challenge require a concerted international effort. To this end, we sought to play a meaningful and constructive role in the COP 15 Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen in December last year.
We had hoped to achieve an international agreement that would give equal attention to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to the effects of climate change. We had an obligation to balance both climate and development imperatives.
We wanted to secure the Convention principles of “equity” and “common but differentiated responsibilities”. Though this outcome was not realised, COP 15 moved us a number of steps closer to our goal. We are committed to the continuing negotiations and look forward to a balanced agreement in Mexico later this year.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Our commitment to tackle climate change does not rest only on the achievement and implementation of international agreements. Our commitment must be borne out by what we do here at home. We have the means indeed, the responsibility to ensure that our policies, programmes and activities contribute to emission reduction and respond to the impact of climate change on our country and region.
There is great opportunity in the development of industries that combat the negative effects of climate change. South Africa needs to develop strong capacity in green technologies and industries. Through our actions, we need to respond to the notion that there is a trade-off to be made between faster economic growth and the preservation of our environment.
We must be able to prove that faster economic growth can be achieved alongside the sustainable management of our natural resources. Our commitment to this goal is evident in the participation of so many cabinet ministers in this exploratory Summit.
I would like to thank and acknowledge all the departments taking part in this Summit, particularly the anchor Departments of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs, Science and Technology, and Trade and Industry.
They join an array of significant role-players, including environmentalists, economists, planners, policy-makers, scientists, business people, and relevant senior managers from local, provincial and national government.
Distinguished delegates,
The creation of decent work is one of the top five priorities of this government. The pursuit of this priority is closely linked to the other four priorities: education, health, rural development, and the fight against crime and corruption. We believe that by stimulating investment in green industries, we will be able to contribute to the creation of decent work.
In our Medium Term Strategic Framework, which guides government’s programme for 2009 to 2014, we undertake to pursue and further explore the concept of ‘green jobs’, including scaling up labour-intensive natural resource management practices which contribute to decent work and livelihood opportunities.
We are in particular pursuing investments in projects and industries in the fields of marine aquaculture development, wildlife management, waste services and ecosystems rehabilitation programmes. Efforts to meet the energy efficiency target of 12% by 2015 and our renewable energy targets will be enhanced by creating an enabling environment for renewable energy.
We also understand a green economy to be even broader than that. It should seek to address the interdependence between economic growth, social protection and the preservation of natural ecosystems. In the midst of the global economic crisis, the United Nations Environment Programme called for a Global Green New Deal.
According to this, governments are encouraged to support a greener economy that creates green jobs, promotes sustainable and inclusive growth, and advances the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Today, at this summit, we are responding to that call.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It would be important for this Summit to note the establishment of the country’s National Planning Commission, which held its inaugural meeting last week.
It has been tasked to assist us to develop long-term development plans to take the country beyond the next decade. The Commission will develop well-researched, evidence-based proposals, cutting across the three spheres of government and across ministries and departments. It will produce reports on a range of issues that impact on our long term development.
These include water, food and energy security, climate change, infrastructure planning, human resource development, defence and security matters, the structure of the economy, spatial planning, demographic trends and so forth. The work of the commission will have a significant impact on how we understand the green economy and the role it is going to play in the country’s development in ten to twenty years time. It would be important also for the Commission to have the benefit of the deliberations currently underway on strategies to promote a green economy.
Even as we discuss the possibilities for immediate action, we will need to bear in mind the challenges and possibilities of the future. We should work now to ensure that we can respond effectively to these future challenges and maximise the potential opportunities.
Ladies and gentlemen,
A Green Economy will require integrated strategies and plans that effectively balance economic, environmental and social development objectives. Such a delicate balance will require carefully crafted policy and institutional frameworks that are geared towards practical action and delivery. We recognise that a substantial increase in investment is necessary to achieve climate change mitigation and adaptation.
We are seeking a global agreement that the bulk of this investment should come from those countries that bear the greatest historical responsibility for climate change �" the countries of the developed world. At the same time, South Africa should seek to mobilise both public and private resources for mitigation and adaptation. There is increasing recognition that clean technology development offers significant business opportunities and gains.
As a country we need to improve our capacity to develop and use such technology. In doing so, we will be able to elaborate the economic case for environmental management and sustainable development. We also need to make the case that functioning ecosystems underpin all economic and social activity.
Ecosystem failure will seriously compromise our ability to address our social and economic priorities. Natural resources are national economic assets, and our economy depends heavily on energy and mineral resources, biodiversity, agriculture, forestry, fishing and tourism.
In short, we have no option but to manage our natural resources in a sustainable way.
We have no choice but to be eco-friendly.
We have no choice but to develop a green economy.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As we look at our national priorities and interests, we should be careful not to separate them from the economic, social and environmental priorities of the region and continent. There is significant opportunity for the development of a green economy in Southern Africa, and which extends to other parts of the continent.
Africa is only at the start of its ‘industrial revolution’, as it seeks to diversify its economies and develop its manufacturing base.
This offers a significant opportunity for investing in greener technologies. Africa needs to pursue an industrial development path that is different from those of the old industrialised nations. New technology is available.
Renewable energy is becoming an increasingly viable alternative to the energy sources that fuelled the growth of the developed world. But for Africa to make use of its abundant renewable energy sources, it needs substantial investment, skills, technology, and greater economic integration and cooperation.
We would hope that this Summit considers how our efforts here could benefit other countries of the region, and the continent as a whole.
We look to this Green Economy Summit to describe a sustainable path for our country, bearing in mind our historical obligation to improve the living conditions of all South Africans, particularly the poor.
In pursuing faster economic growth and improved service delivery, we need to find innovative ways to ensure our consumption and production patterns are sustainable. We are certain that out of this summit will emerge a national green economy plan, informed by valuable insights on key areas of focus and on issues requiring our national attention in the short, medium and long term.
I wish you all the success in your deliberations, trusting that your resolutions will take the country and Africa forward in the preservation and economic use of our common resources.
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
18 May 2010
Source: The Presidency (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za)
