Pretoria – Delegates attending the 21st Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris, France, are expected to conclude a new agreement to address climate change, later today.
The Department of Environmental Affairs said ministers and delegates from more than 196 countries are expected to conclude a new ambitious, fair and effective multilateral legal instrument, applicable to all parties, which will provide the legal basis for addressing the global challenge of climate change from 2020.
“In this process, South Africa is leading negotiations on finance, technology and capacity building, on behalf of the Africa Group, and is the chair of the Group of 77 & China, which is negotiating on behalf of developing countries,” the department said.
South Africa’s delegation, which is led by Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa, was also engaging actively in the negotiations on pre-2020 implementation programmes.
“South Africa is regarded as a constructive negotiator, because it plays a major role in ensuring that parties reach consensus in the negotiations,” Minister Molewa said.
She said South Africa has worked hard to ensure that adaptation to the impacts of climate change is recognised as a global responsibility in a new legal agreement.
“This ensures that African countries will be supported in their efforts to address the irreversible effects of climate change on water and food security, health and infrastructure, in the context of increasing global temperatures.
“We must do everything in our power to secure and pass on to future generations, a country, continent and world that is resilient to the impacts of climate change,” Minister Molewa said.
Responding to media reports questioning the size of the South African delegation attending the UNFCCC, the department said all sister departments that were represented at the climate negotiations abide strictly by the cost containment requirements spelt out by the South African government.
The department, which was also in attendance, said the media reports were misleading and out of context.
“As directed by Cabinet, the National Treasury memorandum elaborates on the flight, accommodation and other measures to be taken to ensure reasonable government expenditure,” the department said.
The department said climate change is one of the major global challenges of the 21st century.
“It is an economic, social and environmental challenge that requires political leadership and co-ordination across all sectors and spheres of government, as well as engagement with leaders of business, labour, civil society and research institutions,” the department said
South Africa’s delegation had to be representative of all key national departments as well as provinces and local government, and all key stakeholder groupings, under the leadership of the Department of Environmental Affairs.
“Our South African team is determined to do our nation proud and shall not be deterred by uninformed critics,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
