By: Chief Director David Jacobs
For decades, we have been warned about the devastating impact of climate change, but for the longest time the danger has seemed far off, and far removed from our daily reality. Now what once seemed like the plot of a utopian disaster movie is fast becoming part of our everyday lives.
The recent floods in the Western Cape Province and other extreme weather events, cannot be ignored any longer or swept aside as once offs. Swift action is required, the clock is ticking and zero hour approaches.
The question of climate change and its impact on our way of living is fast becoming one of the central challenges for this generation, and how we deal with it will affect all generations to come.
Now is the time for us to discover ways to influence the further occurrence of destructive weather conditions such as heatwaves, droughts and heavy rainfall. Doing so will require collaboration between all sectors of society.
In an effort to seek out solutions, South Africa in partnership with the National Treasury, Presidential Climate Commission and the World Bank hosted the Climate Resilience Symposium from 15 - 17 July 2024, under the theme “Moving the needle on climate change and just transition: the role of the National Treasury.”
For three days climate experts, academia and government officials, gathered to discuss the impact of climate change on lives and livelihoods, and how to integrate climate goals into existing financial and policy frameworks.
During the opening address, President Cyril Ramaphosa set the tone for the conference by highlighting the impact of climate change and how its effects have worsened. President Ramaphosa noted that climate change considerations needs to be advanced by promoting policy, advocacy, and green growth with more collaborations in order to address climate change challenges across sectors.
In order to achieve this goal, collaboration between government, the private sector and civil society is essential, and partnerships are key to unlocking greener and cleaner energy, along with the realisation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).
The JETP has been approved by Cabinet for a five year period (2023-2027), in which several interventions and investments are expected and will unfold at a gradual pace that takes into account the economic state of our nation and what can be afforded at present.
South Africa remains committed to addressing climate change based on science, equity and sustainable development. South Africa established the Just Transition Partnership to transition to a low carbon economy as part of our commitment to save the planet from harmful emissions.
The partnership is based on the principle that developed countries have a financial responsibility to assist developing nations meet their climate change commitments.
South Africa also established the Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission to coordinate and oversee the just transition towards a low-carbon, inclusive, climate change resilient economy and society.
In 2022, South Africa released its Just Energy Transition Investment Plan which outlines the scale of need and the investments required to achieve our decarbonisation commitments.
Speaking at the symposium, President Ramaphosa stated that South Africa would need R1.7 trillion, for the five years 2023 to 2027, if South Africa is to achieve its decarbonisation commitments by 2050.
The Just Energy Transition Implementation Plan, which was approved by the Cabinet last year, will guide South Africa’s transition to a low-carbon economy through the scaling up of renewable energy sources and reducing reliance on coal.
A just transition is about seizing opportunities and managing risks associated with climate change, with an overarching focus on improving the lives and livelihoods of people. Our approach is that the transition must help us with our development challenges as a society and in particular assist us in dealing with poverty, inequality and unemployment.
South Africa further developed the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS) that allows our nation to plan and respond better to the intensified impact of climate change. The NCCAS is in line with our commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which is universally regarded as a seminal point in the fight against climate change.
During the conference, the panel also discussed Climate Budget Tagging (CBT) which is a tool for monitoring and tracking of climate related expenditures in the national budget system.
Recently, President Cyril Ramaphosa also signed into law the Climate Change Bill which sets out a national climate change response, including mitigation and adaptation actions, which also constitutes South Africa’s fair contribution to the global climate change response.
The law also sets out to enhance South Africa’s ability and capacity over time to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and build climate resilience, while reducing the risk of job losses, and promoting opportunities for new job opportunities in the emerging green economy.
The complex nature of climate change requires interventions across society, and there is a need for collaborative efforts between government, business, labour, civil society, communities and international partners.
South Africa, like many other developing nations is likely to bear the brunt of climate change and the clock is ticking. The actions we take today will ensure that we can make our country climate resilient, while also driving development and economic growth.