Climate Change Summit
26 February 2009
The President of South Africa, Kgalema Motlanthe will officially open the
National Climate Change Summit on Tuesday, 03 March 2009 at the Gallagher
Convention Centre, Midrand, Gauteng.
Media is invited to the opening session on Tuesday, 3 March 2009 at
14h00.
Hosted by the Departments of Environmental Affairs and Tourism as well as
Science and Technology, the summit will formally launch the policy process that
will translate cabinetâs climate change policy decisions and directives into
fiscal, regulatory and legislative packages as well as sectoral implementation
plans.
The summit will provide all key climate change response stakeholders with an
update on the most recent climate change research and other current South
African initiatives and interventions. The summit will also provide a platform
for all key climate change response stakeholders to discuss and agree on the
framework for a National Climate Change Response Policy.
Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, will
deliver a keynote address during the opening session on Cabinetâs climate
change response directives and the international negotiations context.
The National Climate Change Summit will see over 600 participants from
government, organised labour, business and industry associations, public
interest groups and academia converge under the theme, âClimate Action
Now!â
The opening day, 3 March 2009 will also see the broadcast of a key video
presentation on the global climate change challenge by Climate Change Nobel
Prize winner, Professor Rajendra Pachauri. An address on the expectations for
the Copenhagen COP in December 2009 will also be delivered through a video
insert by Danish Minister of Climate and Energy, Connie Hedegaard.
Minister of Transport, Jeff Radebe and Minister of Minerals and Energy
Buyelwa Sonjica will present governmentâs vision on climate change with a
transport and energy focus respectively.
Councillor Amos Masondo, Chairperson of South African Local Government
Association (SALGA) will speak to local governmentâs vision for a South African
climate change response while industryâs vision will be presented by Jerry
Vilakazi, CEO of Business Unity of South Africa (BUSA).
The vision shared by labour for a South African climate change response will
be conveyed by COSATU Deputy General Secretary, Bheki Ntshalintshali and
Richard Worthington will present civil societyâs vision as co-ordinator of the
Climate Action Network South Africa.
Delegate registration for the summit is closed but there will be live audio
and audiovisual streaming of the Climate Change Summit. A blog facility will be
available on the website as part of the live streaming display. Public comments
and a selection of relevant questions raised during Question and Answer
sessions will be streamed into the plenary session.
The summit will continue until Friday, 6 March 2009. The conference
programme is comprehensive and categorised into thematic areas. Several
pertinent side events are also scheduled during the summit.
To view the comprehensive programme and for further information on the live
streaming visit www.ccsummit2009.co.za
Media is invited to the summit.
Summit opening details:
Date: 3 March 2009
Venue: Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, Gauteng
Time: Opening session begins at 14h00
(Please arrive sufficiently in advance for registration purposes and Press
identification will be required for summit registration)
To RSVP for the opening session contact:
Judith van der Merwe
Tel: 012 310 3309
Cell: 083 321 2617
E-mail: jvdmerwe@deat.gov.za
For media queries contact:
Roopa Singh
Tel: 012 310 3566
Cell: 082 225 3076
E-mail: rsingh@deat.gov.za
Issued jointly by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and
Department of Science and Technology
26 February 2009
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.deat.gov.za/)
