President
Excellencies
Ladies and gentlemen
We stand here, on the brink of a historic moment whose realisation requires political will, courage and boldness for a successful outcome. We need an agreement that will prevent a potential global disaster from the devastating impacts of climate change. This is a defining moment of our generation to collective humanity.
This moment must not slip away.
South Africa is particularly mindful of the possibility that the impact of climate change on the African continent will destroy the livelihoods and worsen the quality of life of already vulnerable people. We are here with the full knowledge that the peoples of the world and particularly the poorest are waiting for us to do the right thing.
South Africa being a semi-arid country, water stressed, prone to extreme climate events is particularly vulnerable to effects of climate change. Our people are already experiencing climate change, threatening the livelihoods of subsistence farmers and fishermen. Coastal storm surges and tornadoes continuously undermine our efforts of providing housing and basic services to our people. Climate change is a fundamental threat to development, poverty eradication and creation of a better life for our people, particularly women in rural areas.
South Africa fully endorses the common and united position of Africa and that of the Group of 77 and China on climate change. South Africa's history of struggle and its commitment to equity and justice means that we are here with a moral conscience in the knowledge that, what we agree on here will have an impact on generations to come.
The Copenhagen outcome has seemed elusive at some points this week, but we are convinced that we are on track for a successful conclusion tomorrow. With leadership from both north and south, we can deliver a two-track outcome underpinned by the fundamental principles of equity, and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, which are core to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
In our view, the Copenhagen outcome must translate into an amendment of annexure B of the Kyoto Protocol, with economy-wide, legally binding, quantified emission reduction commitments for Annex I Parties, for the second and subsequent commitment periods. In addition there should be a legally binding outcome under the Convention for the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention, through long term cooperative action now up to and beyond 2012. Under the Convention track, developed country parties that have not ratified the Kyoto Protocol must commit to ambitious, legally binding, economy-wide quantified emission reduction commitments, comparable with those under the Kyoto Protocol.
The key challenge is how to ensure a fair and equitable outcome, in a world that is fundamentally imbalanced in socio-economic terms and in the uneven use of the carbon space. We are living in a world in which industrialised countries are historically responsible for eighty percent of the current emissions in the atmosphere. On the other hand, priority for developing countries is to urgently address poverty eradication and development, in order to improve the lives of our people.
The question is how do we secure our development space within this climate constrained world? The answer is that we have to clearly and visibly operationalise the principle of common but differentiated responsibility in mitigation, adaptation, as well as means of implementation that include finance, technology and capacity building.
On mitigation, all developed countries must, in line with their historic responsibility for past emissions and in accordance with the science, commit to ambitious, economy-wide legally binding emission reduction targets. Separately and under the convention track, developing countries, as agreed to in Bali, will undertake nationally appropriate mitigation actions, to achieve a decline in their emissions relative to business as usual.
However, this is conditional on finance, technology and capacity building support from developed countries. An outcome in which mitigation commitments of developed countries, and mitigation actions of developing countries are reflected in a common format with common legal status, and with a common system of measuring and reporting, is NOT the solution. This would undermine the principle of common but differentiated responsibility.
On adaptation, developed countries must commit to providing new and additional means of implementation for a comprehensive international programme on the implementation of adaptation in developing countries. This programme must aim to reduce vulnerability and build resilience. An outcome in Copenhagen that does not address the urgency for adaptation in a manner that is balanced with mitigation is not a solution.
On finance and technology, developed countries must comply with their obligations under the Convention, to provide up scaled financial resources and transfer of technology to enable developing country Parties to take action on mitigation and adaptation. The question is, are our partners ready to do this? An outcome with no long-term commitment to new and additional public finance from developed countries, for mitigation and adaptation in developing countries would not be acceptable. Finance cannot be left to the carbon market and Copenhagen cannot expect developing countries to pay their own way. This would undermine the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.
We are now in the final hours. South Africa is ready to take on its responsibility in the form of supported voluntary actions. We urge developed countries to take on theirs in terms of political will, targets and financial responsibilities.
Developed countries must take the lead. Many developing countries are already taking action and are ready to do more if we are supported with the necessary technology, finance and capacity building. On 6 December, President Jacob Zuma announced that South Africa would undertake a range of nationally appropriate mitigation actions. The extent of these actions depends on support by developed countries. With financial and technological support from the international community, these actions will enable the country's emissions to deviate below what we project as our business as usual would have been in 2020.
South Africa will deviate by 34% below business as usual by 2020 and by 42% by 2025. This level of effort would enable emissions to peak between 2020 and 2025, plateau for approximately a decade and then decline in absolute terms thereafter. We have demonstrated mitigation potential in the long-term mitigation scenarios study and through our assessment of the nation's vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, our willingness and readiness to mitigate our emissions and to take action to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
President, we expect a fair, equitable, just, transparent, ambitious and effective outcome in Copenhagen. The question is: can we? South Africa's answer is Yes, Together We Can Do More.
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs
17 December 2009
