Opening Statement by Minister of Environmental Affairs, Dr Edna Molewa at the National Stakeholder Consultation in preparation for the International Climate Change Talks (COP 23/CMP13/CMA1), Pretoria (Statement delivered by Deputy Director-General, Mr Alf Wills)
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen. It is my pleasure to be with you today as we finalise our negotiating position and key messages that will guide South Africa’s delegation in the negotiations at the twenty third session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Bonn, Germany in November 2017.
I am particular pleased to see a number of women and youth represented in this meeting from different organizations. Now allow me to share some thoughts on this subject, that is notably the biggest challenge facing humanity in the 21st century.
The Paris agreement and the possible USA withdrawal from it
Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen,
The recent unprecedented hurricanes in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, and floods and droughts in Sierra Leone and Ethiopia, remind us that the impacts of climate change are being felt today. We are confronted by a reality that compels us to invest far more seriously in adaptation, ensure investment in climate friendly technologies, and addressing loss and damage from both slow onset and extreme weather events.
The recent catastrophes also make it clear that there can be no turning back on the collective effort in the fight against climate change, and as such the hard-won consensus in Paris cannot be re-negotiated. We must maintain the political momentum and demonstrate through our collective actions that we will stay the course, honour our commitments, and deliver future cycles of progressively more ambitious contributions.
We therefore encouraged the United States of America to reaffirm its commitment to the Paris consensus, and to further play its key role in addressing climate change, which is one of the most serious and pressing challenges facing humanity in our times.
The priorities for COP 23
Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen,
I am of the view that it will be important to keep the Bonn Climate Conference in November 2017 (COP 23) as technical as possible with maximum time allocated for negotiations. It is a 2 track process, on the one hand we need to focus on core activities pertaining to pre-2020 action, and on the other hand the development of text for the modalities of implementing the Paris Agreement due for adoption in December 2018.
I will address some key points in the South African negotiating position that we encourage you to engage on in preparation for COP 23 in Bonn, Germany.
The outcome for the Bonn Climate Change Conference should:
- Take stock of work required to fully implement the Paris Agreement, provide assurances that the political balance of the Paris Agreement is upheld, and that all issues of importance to developing countries (including adaptation and means of implementation) will be addressed in the rule-book to be adopted before 2020;
- Focus on ensuring that commitments by developed countries in the pre-2020 period, including the provision of US$100 billion per annum in climate finance to developing countries by 2020, are honored;
- Clarify the relationship between the formal UNFCCC process on the pre-2020 workstream and the “Action Agenda”, which is a parallel process for voluntary coalitions and partnerships involving state and non-state actors, increasingly being used by developed countries as a ‘substitute’ for their legal commitments under the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol;
- Advance the efforts of developing countries to ensure that the Adaptation Fund serves the Paris Agreement. Despite opposition from developed countries and a diminishing revenue stream, Parties have agreed that the Adaptation Fund, created under the Kyoto Protocol, should also serve the Paris Agreement after 2020;
- Clarify the modalities for the 2018 Facilitative Dialogue, a politically significant opportunity for taking stock of collective efforts and communicated pledges ahead of 2020.
Adaptation and limits to adaptation
Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen
Allow me to say a few words on Adaptation and limits to adaptation which is a key priority for Africa.
Limits to adaptation (Loss and damage)
It is generally agreed that COP 23 will be a technical COP but most importantly a Loss and Damage COP with Fiji being the COP President.
It is in this context that South Africa express its concern about the increasing devastating events associated with the adverse effects of climate change on the African continent. We therefore call for the enhancement of institutional arrangements and support, in terms of finance, technology and capacity-building, in order for the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with climate change impacts to achieve its mandate and fulfil its functions.
We further call for the expeditious completion of the five-year work plan of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism, which should take into consideration the priorities identified by developing countries to assist them in preparing and implementing plans and strategies that address current and anticipated losses and damages in the light of the agreed temperature goal, and the associated financial resources.
Adaptation
South Africa call for the operationalization of the global goal on adaptation, including the development of indicators to enable tracking the collective efforts towards achieving it.
Furthermore, we call for the finalisation of the guidance on minimum information to be communicated under adaptation communications by all countries, including as a component of nationally determined contributions, by COP 23, in a manner that takes into account information on developing countries’ needs and associated costs, including the support needed to implement adaptation action.
We are of the view that COP 23 should expedite the development of associated modalities and methodologies to assess the adequacy of support provided to developing countries; to recognise developing countries’ adaptation efforts, to track progress towards achieving the global goal for adaptation and enhance the implementation of adaptation action in an inclusive and participatory manner that takes into account the views of African countries.
The developed countries should provide full support to developing countries for the formulation, updating and implementation of adaptation communications, including as a component of nationally determined contributions, in a manner that takes into account information on developing countries’ needs and associated costs, including the support needed to implement adaptation action through grants.
Adaptation fund
South Africa cannot stress enough the importance of the Adaptation Fund to provide adaptation finance to developing country Parties. We urge Parties to develop the governance and institutional arrangements, safeguards and operating modalities of the Adaptation Fund to be adopted by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement, with the view of ensuring that the Fund serves this Agreement; through a clear decision in COP 23 that Adaptation Fund shall serve the Paris Agreement.
South Africa recognise that under the pre-2020 implementation, the Adaptation Fund benefits from existing projects under the Clean Development Mechanism. We therefore note with concern the financial state of the Adaptation Fund and urges developed countries to provide adequate resources to help the Fund reaches its fundraising goal.
Conclusion
Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen,
In conclusion I wish you fruitful discussions today as you deliberate on South Africa’s key messages for COP 23. I remind you that unity is strength and that when we reach Bonn in November we should be united in our diversity as government, business, civil society, youth and gender activists. We should also do our level best to work with our partners to provide solution and in particular work with the Africa group.
I thank you.
