Minister Dion George (Dr): National stakeholder consultation on UNFCCC'S COP30, Protel Hotel, Wanderers
Mayor Kenalemang Phukuntsi
Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) Deputy Chair and Commissioners present here today
Deputy Director-General of Climate Change and Air Quality
PCC Executive Director
Distinguished stakeholders
Members of the media
Good morning
It is my honour to welcome all of you, both in person and online, to this national consultation ahead of the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which will take place in Belém, Brazil from 10 to 21 November 2025.
We meet today following the conclusion of the Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group under South Africa's G20 Presidency last week. The deliberations we held in Cape Town have strengthened our collective resolve to place people, planet, and prosperity at the centre of climate action. Today we continue that work here at home, guided by the same principles of solidarity, equality, and sustainability.
I wish to thank every participant here today. You represent all spheres of society: government, business, labour, academia, civil society, youth and communities. Each of you plays a vital role in shaping South Africa's position for COP30, reflecting the truth that climate action cannot be confined to a single department or sector. It must be a whole-of-society effort.
COP30 will mark ten years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement and the five year mark to achieve the 2030 deadline for Sustainable Development Goals. It will also be the moment when the world submits its third round of Nationally Determined Contributions – the commitments that determine whether we limit global warming to 1.5 degrees or risk crossing irreversible thresholds.
This year's conference is not only symbolic, it is decisive. The first Global Stocktake completed at COP28 has given us a clear picture of where we stand, and where we fall short. COP30 is where those findings must be translated into action.
South Africa's priorities and preparations
South Africa will submit its second Nationally Determined Contribution ahead of COP30. This submission represents our fair contribution to the global effort while staying true to our national priorities of reducing inequality, unemployment, and poverty.
We also look forward to ambitious outcomes from the Sharm el-Sheikh Mitigation Ambition and Implementation Work Programme and the United Arab Emirates Just Transition Work Programme, both of which aim to advance low-carbon development pathways and practical cooperation among nations.
Our NDC is informed by science, aligned with our Climate Change Act, and built on our commitment to a just transition. It balances environmental integrity with social justice ensuring that our transition to a low-carbon economy does not leave any South African behind.
This second NDC builds on lessons from our first, integrating our national climate strategies into economic planning and public investment. It reflects the work of multiple departments, provinces, and municipalities that are embedding climate resilience into spatial planning, energy supply, agriculture, and industrial development. As we prepare for implementation, the Climate Change Act will serve as our compass, ensuring that every sphere of government plays its part in achieving our targets and in aligning climate action with job creation and inclusive growth.
Adaptation remains a top priority for Africa. We are already feeling the effects of a changing climate through extreme rainfall, flooding, and unseasonal snowfall. Our adaptation goals focus on water and sanitation infrastructure, disaster risk management and climate-related health systems, food security, resilient human settlements, early warning systems, ecosystem restoration, and capacity building across all spheres of government.
The NDC also includes, for the first time, a dedicated section on loss and damage. It outlines how we will record climate impacts, estimate financial needs, and build systems that enable timely response.
Key outcomes we will pursue at COP30
First, we will work to ensure that the new Global Goal on Adaptation is finalised through the Belém Work Programme. We support a concise set of indicators, around one hundred, to measure progress and to ensure that developing-economy countries receive the means of implementation they require.
Second, climate finance remains central to meaningful action. The New Collective Quantified Goal adopted at COP29 and the Baku-to-Belém Roadmap, which aims to mobilise 1.3 trillion dollars annually by 2035, must be turned into reality. We expect the COP29 and COP30 Presidencies to present a well-consulted plan that addresses the barriers developing-economy countries face in accessing climate finance.
Developing-economy nations require scaled-up, predictable, and accessible funding for mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage. These must be in the form of grants and concessional finance, not new debt. Developed-economy countries have a legal obligation under Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement to provide this support, and we will continue to uphold that principle.
Third, the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund must be completed. It must be capitalise, accessible, and responsive to the needs of vulnerable nations, particularly in Africa. Technical and capacity-building support must accompany the fund so that developing-economy countries can avert and address loss and damage effectively.
South Africa, working with the Africa Group, will continue to advocate for recognition of the continent's special needs and circumstances, its limited historical responsibility for emissions, and the need for tailored support for adaptation and just transitions in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
The Santiago Network and its technical agencies must be empowered to provide hands-on assistance where it is most needed. For Africa, this means strengthening early warning systems, mapping high-risk zones, and developing social protection systems that can respond quickly when disasters strike. The Loss and Damage Fund will only be meaningful if it reaches communities on the ground, rebuilding lives and livelihoods rather than remaining trapped in bureaucracy.
Fourth, the Just Transition Work Programme must evolve into a practical instrument that supports inclusive and equitable transformation. We need a work programme that goes beyond energy systems to address the full social and economic dimensions of transition. One that enables green jobs, empowers workers and communities, and aligns with national development plans.
The Just Transition is not an abstract concept for South Africa. It is about ensuring that the miner in Mpumalanga, the farmer in the Karoo, and the small business owner in the townships all have a stake in a cleaner, fairer future. We are committed to building the skills, industries, and innovation ecosystems that will make this transition real and inclusive. Our partnerships with business, labour, and civil society are central to this effort, and we invite all sectors to contribute to this shared mission.
Fifth, the Enhanced Transparency Framework under the Paris Agreement must be adequately supported. Transparent reporting builds credibility, attracts investment, and strengthens policy. Developing-economy countries need the tools and training to meet these obligations, and the Consultative Group of Experts should be made a permanent body to provide this support.
We will also support the adoption of a Gender Action Plan that ensures gender equality is fully integrated into climate action. Women and youth are at the frontlines of climate impacts and must be at the forefront of climate solutions.
Finally, we will continue to voice our concern about unilateral trade measures that undermine sustainable development and contradict the principles of the Paris Agreement. Climate ambition cannot be achieved through punitive trade barriers, but through cooperation, innovation, and fairness.
Our call to action
This consultation is therefore not only about international negotiations. It is about ensuring that every local government, business, and community understands what COP30 means for them. The positions we take to Belém must be rooted in domestic realities and supported by concrete actions here at home. The Climate Change Act gives us the framework; what we need now is the collective determination to put it into practice.
South Africa's Climate Change Act provides a strong legal and institutional foundation for implementing our commitments. But laws alone cannot achieve change. They must be animated by a collective will — by the conviction that climate action is not a burden but an opportunity to build a more resilient, inclusive, and competitive economy.
We must also continue to press for reform of the global financial architecture so that it is fit for purpose and capable of supporting developing-economy nations to act decisively against climate change while achieving sustainable development.
As we prepare for COP30, let us remember that this is not only a conference of governments. It is a conference of people. Every South African has a stake in its outcomes: from the farmer facing drought, to the entrepreneur building green technology, to the student demanding a liveable future.
The world must move from promises to practice. Every decision in Belém must come with a plan for implementation, financing, and accountability. COP30 must deliver real outcomes for the planet, for vulnerable communities, and for future generations.
Together, we can ensure that South Africa continues to lead with integrity, guided by science, grounded in equity, and united by the belief that a just transition is not only possible but essential. Our task is to turn ambition into action, principles into policy, and policy into progress that people can feel in their daily lives. Let us approach COP30 with unity of purpose and the conviction that Africa's voice must be heard, not as a plea for aid, but as a call for fairness, partnership, and shared responsibility. The stakes could not be higher. COP30 must deliver for the planet, for our continent, and for generations yet to come.
I thank you.
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