Minister Edna Molewa’s speech at the Parliamentary Colloquium “Unpacking the Paris Agreement: Implications for the Nation” Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
Chairperson Of The Colloquium: Hon Mr Phillemon Mapulane, (MP);
Chairpersons of the Parliamentary Committees;
Honourable Members of Parliament;
Acting DG of Department of Environmental Affairs;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen.
As we meet here today once again I am reminded of what our late father of the Nation and a great visionary of modern times, Dr. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela said: “Our long walk to freedom is not over”. Our long walk to a cleaner environment that is not harmful to our people is also far over. We have begun. We are on the right path as progress continues to be made. Let us not be pessimistic though, as progress is being made and the destination is known.
The twenty first session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held last year in Paris ushered in a new world. We as South Africans must not forget that this is a new world that came into being in the climate change agreement - the seed for which was planted here in South Africa where we agreed to develop and finalise a climate change agreement that is applicable to all and is universal.
We must never ever forget as South Africa that that work was started here on African soil. It ushered in a world of collective action against, and collective responsibility for, climate change.
Ladies and Gentlemen: as we see it, the Paris Agreement is a solid legal framework that will drive the world towards an inclusive low-carbon economy and climate-resilient society if it is implemented in good faith. For the first time, all Parties agreed to act, and to review progress on action towards meeting key global goals.
The fundamental achievement of the Paris Agreement is that it managed to foster a powerful spirit of international collaboration and solidarity. This is clearly manifested in the provisions on loss and damages due to the impacts of climate change, as well as the agreement on an adaptation global goal.
Furthermore, the agreement on provision of financial support by developed countries to developing countries, and the intention to scale this up from 2025 is a much-desired catalyst for action. These provisions, as enshrined in the Paris Agreement, are a clear demonstration to all of us of a new international spirit of collaboration and solidarity with the vulnerable. And we do this particularly for the vulnerable societies of the world.
As the late President Samora Machel said: “International solidarity is not an act of charity: It is an act of unity between allies fighting on different terrains toward the same objective. The foremost of these objectives is to aid the development of humanity to the highest level possible.”
Ladies and Gentlemen, South Africa has always said we are playing our part in tackling the global challenge of climate change, but we can play a much greater part with much needed support from our partners. As such, action, and action now, is an important topic that is very, very dear to us.
The fight against climate change requires collective action from both governments and non-state actors if we are to have a better prospect of success in building climate resilience and transitioning to a low-carbon economy that is inclusive while at the same time addressing the triple challenge of unemployment, poverty and inequality. If we don’t, people who are unemployed and poor, and have experience in inequality, will continue to suffer so we need to address this.
South Africa’s role in International Arena
Doing our fair share is not only limited to action on the ground, but also involves working with other nations with a single aim of finding a lasting solution to this global scourge. You all know that in 2011 we hosted COP17, which delivered a mandate for the negotiation of what is now known as the Paris Agreement. We have also played a major role in the attainment of this historic Paris deal by chairing the Group of 77 plus China in the negotiations. It was there that the important slogan was adopted of Leave no-one behind. We believe that this is what did contribute to addressing everyone’s concerns.
Looking back, you will also notice that South Africa co-chaired the drafting of the Governing Instrument of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and facilitated the decision on the GCF that was adopted at the COP in Durban in 2011. The operationalisation and functioning of the Fund remains a high priority for South Africa. We were also elected as the first Co-Chair of the GCF Board with Australia, and were re-elected as Co-Chair of the GCF Board for the second time in October 2015 in Zambia.
Our efforts have indeed ensured that the GCF has approved accreditation of 17 Regional and National Direct Access Entities (NDAs) of which nine are in Africa. South Africa is the only developing country that has two accredited entities, namely:
- The Development Bank of Southern Africa, for project size of US$ 250 million or larger; and the
South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) accredited for the project size of no larger than US$ 50 million.
Nedbank has also applied for accreditation. We wish them well.
Our current portfolio for the GCF is four projects with a total value of US$109 million. Further country preparations are ongoing to develop a significantly larger GCF portfolio for South Africa. This week we hosted the first Structured Dialogue for all African NDAs to develop a roadmap for African projects and programmes. That is how significant we view the matter of finance because we would like to continue to play our role.
Domestic action
On the domestic front; our National Climate Change Response Policy prioritises climate change responses that have both mitigation and adaptation benefits wherever possible, as well as the potential to contribute to significant economic growth, job creation, public health, and poverty eradication continues to be implemented. We are very glad that some of our departments are contributing and working together in a big way.
We have also been looking at the possibility of scaling up our current efforts and this is not an easy task. Scaling up efforts requires significant investment that we can only achieve with additional support. However, we are encouraged by success stories that give us confidence that we can meet our goals. These include success in the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPP), the Green Transport Strategy and the Energy Efficiency in Industry Strategy. Wind and solar PV provide significant adaptation benefits, as well as producing no GHG emissions, these technologies save very large quantities of water.
We also have our Environmental Programmes through the Expanded Public Works Programme and managed by the Department of Environmental Affairs such as the Working for Water Programme, that seeks to improve water availability by removing alien and invasive plant species from water catchment areas; thereby restoring ecosystems, increasing their resilience, making more water available to our river systems and for human consumption, and creating jobs for many of our people that are unemployed - as well as the Department’s Land Rehabilitation programme.
So far we have invested R196 billion, of which more than 25% is from foreign investors and financiers, to deliver in the REIPPP 6 300MW of renewable energy. This 6 300MW is far more than Medupi produces. We plan to add 20 000MW to the grid by 2030. As you will appreciate, this will require hundreds of billions of rands in additional investment that we simply cannot mobilise on our own. At a global level, we will need to significantly scale up funding. We will need to help one another in building capacity in those communities where these projects are implemented. We will need skills development.
Then there is the central question of how to secure funding to meet our many adaptation challenges. Adaptation is very important and dear to us. Like many other countries on the continent, South Africa is semi-arid with less than 5% of annual rainfall available to recharge our groundwater aquifers. In a changing climate, our existing water related challenges are exacerbated, and will be severely exacerbated in some parts of the country, especially the western parts of the country.
If one considers the drought we are currently experiencing that has led to some of our major rivers running dry and water levels in our dams very low, it is easy to imagine how this has extremely dire consequences for every aspect of our economy and society, especially with regards to food security. Significant investment is therefore required to change the way that we use and manage our scarce and fragile water resources.
This is very important ladies and gentlemen, because adaptation is always in danger of being pushed off the agenda probably because there is no profitability in adaptation programmes. We therefore need to seriously look at ways of doubling adaptation financing before 2020. The sooner the better for all of us.
Expectations for COP22
We fully trust that COP22 will maintain the momentum of Paris and continue to foster collaborative efforts to catalyse pre-2020 action. We hope that the countries which have not yet ratified, including ourselves, will be able to do so as soon as possible. Our proposal for ratification is far advanced, and has been presented by parliamentary committees in both houses. We hope to deposit our instrument of ratification next week.
Post 2020 Action
Ladies and Gentlemen, the late President Mandela said: “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are more hills to climb” - an observation based on his lifetime of experience of Tata Madiba in tackling one of the most difficult challenges of all, and which at times seemed to pose unending challenges and insurmountable odds. Honourable Chair, this is particularly applicable to us to where we now find ourselves tackling the challenge of climate change.
The great hill we have just climbed was the Paris Agreement; but now we find that we have to climb the many hills of implementing the Agreement successfully, including those of concluding a rule-set necessary for the implementation of the Paris Agreement. We also have to address common timeframes for NDCs and look at reporting and accounting rules, monitoring its outcomes and ensure that appropriate actions are undertaken to meet its goals.
There are some specific issues which we feel can be furthered or concluded in Marrakech.
The first one of these is the adoption of the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity Building (PCCB), and then proceed in the PCCB to developing a work plan for the following year.
The second one pertains to The High-Level Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Financing. This in our view should deliver on adaptation finance. South Africa expects that the dialogue will result in scaled-up funding for, and greater emphasis on, adaptation as part of pre-2020 action, particularly as we are already experiencing the harsh effects of climate change.
We also expect that the Dialogue will give clear, positive direction on the future of the Adaptation Fund, and there is a need therefore for the COP and the CMP to finalise their recommendations on this particular matter. We also expect developed country Parties to table a clear pathway to realising the $100 billion of climate finance per annum by 2020 and also scaled up finance after 2025, and on the provision of technology and capacity building.
Marrakesh will determine what the work programme is going forward. The work of implementing the Paris Agreement is only beginning in Marrakesh – South Africa has always punched above its weight in the climate negotiations, and we aim to continue this leadership role as the process unfolds.
I thank you.
