South Africa is expected to be playing the leading role in making the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change an international success story – not only by playing host to between 20 000 and 30 000 expected delegates, but also by bringing the conference itself to a successful finale. This under the presidency of South African Minister of International Relations, Maite
Nkoana-Mashabane.

COP 17 is seen as the end point for the Kyoto Protocol, a legally binding document signed in 1997 by 191 of the world’s countries, and enforced from 2005. It outlines emissions reductions for 37 developed country signatories, with the first commitment period coming to an end in 2012; and the establishment of a carbon market where carbon “credits” can be traded.

It took four years of negotiations before a compromise was reached at COP 15, in the Danish capital of Copenhagen, where 100 heads of state and government – including South African President Jacob Zuma – gathered during December 2009.

This is where President Zuma and others demanded that the developed world not only cut its carbon emissions as required under the Kyoto Protocol, but also provide funds to help vulnerable states fight global warming as well. This is where he made the ambitious pledge that South Africa would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 34% by 2020 and 42% by 2025 below business-as-usual levels, but conditional on financial and
technical capacity.

South Africa

South Africa emits only about 1% of global emissions but, in terms of gross domestic product, its contribution is among the world top 20 in the world list. Its commitment to respond to climate change is therefore serious.

Work on South Africa’s National Climate Change Response Strategy started in 2004 and continued in 2005 when the National Climate Change Conference brought together 14 ministers and South Africa’s deputy president – this serving as a key political statement on the issue.

In May 2009, a policy development round table was held, which was to have produced a National Climate Change Response Draft Green Paper the same year. But the 38-page document was released finally in November 2010.

In March this year, the Cabinet approved a National Energy Master Plan, which sees South Africa’s renewable and nuclear energy programme accounting for two-thirds of new power stations to be built over the next 20 years. The new plan foresees 42% of all new plants coming on stream between now and 2030 to be based on green power, 23% on nuclear and only 15% on coal – and cut its reliance on coal.

The government revised earlier targets for the different energy sources after a draft of the plan was criticised heavily by industry, bankers and environmentalists who questioned its costs, timelines and feasibility.

The government said it would not freeze its planned nuclear expansion despite concerns over nuclear safety following the tsunami and earthquake disaster in Japan.

The target for nuclear was revised only slightly downward to 9 600 megawatts over the next two decades, while that for renewable energy was increased by nearly half to provide an estimated 17 800MW.

As things stand, the approach to a workable white paper has been to find a balance between adaptation measures (primarily in water, agriculture and human health) and mitigation measures (primarily in energy, industry and transport), based on quality information and research, and using incentives (tax breaks and investment) as well as disincentives (carbon tax and legislation).

Workshops and other discussions on the draft green paper (leading to a white paper) this year have been held and co-ordinated by the Department of Environmental Affairs on behalf of the government and representatives from various sectors and companies such as Earthlife, the World Wide Fund for Nature SA, Eskom and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation.

Udo Rypstra