Transcript Adaptation - Parliamentary Monitoring Group

ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING
GROUP
Climate Change Response Strategy
Comments on Green Paper
Stephen Law (Director)
Thabang Ngcozela (Project Manager)
Interdepartmental co-operation
Responding to the challenge is not just another
"environmental issue“. It is deeply linked to how we
understand growth and development.
Coherent action is required from all spheres,
especially Treasury, dti, Energy, Mineral Resources
and Economic Development.
Coherent regulation of businsess and industry
The “Safe” Limit
A global average temperature increase of 2 Deg C is an
absolute limit. Less would be better.
We are currently heading for 3 to 4 Deg C with
unthinkable consequences
8 March, 2011
internet:http://www.emg.org.za
International Negotiations
and CoP17
Binding targets are needed…
Some countries (the US included) are doing all they can
to prevent the adoption of legally binding emissions
targets.
Our government must do all it can to resist this pressure.
8 March, 2011
internet:http://www.emg.org.za
Tax and trading
Taxing climate change “bads” and subsidising “goods”
is essential … but the poor are most vulnerable -- to
both climate change and to our mitigation efforts
Tax must be offset with appropriate subsidies
No investment in setting up a carbon trading regime
until hard proof is available that it actually leads to a
reduction in emission levels
8 March, 2011
internet:http://www.emg.org.za
Mitigation
…these surely need no further debate!
• Greater investment and political will in renewable
energy R&D
• Greater investment in efficient public transport
• Promote efficiency electricity use… and remove
conflicts of interest
• Eskom - No more sweetheart business deals
8 March, 2011
internet:http://www.emg.org.za
Adaptation
…building resilience of communities is at the core
Adapting is about more than just ensuring the robustness
of our institutions and infrastructure – roads and
bridges, flood control, disaster relief, etc.
An essential elements is building social and political
resilience – including robust service delivery, public
participation in decisions, free flow of information and
knowledge, education, etc.
8 March, 2011
internet:http://www.emg.org.za
Water
Our key development constraint…
Equitable, affordable, quality water for all is already a
challenge – climate change scarcity will exacerbate
this.
Water tariffs must…
• Unambiguously encourage conservation and
discourage wasteful or hedonistic use.
• Cross-subsidise from wealthy to poor households.
8 March, 2011
internet:http://www.emg.org.za
Water
Our key development constraint….
Scarcity will put increasing pressure on available
resources
• Investment in maintenance of waste-water treatment
plant is essential
• Upgrading to incorporate biogas digestion
• New plant should be low-carbon design
8 March, 2011
internet:http://www.emg.org.za
Agric and land-use
Agriculture and land-use is a major GHG contributor.
Policy must ensure more support for low-impact
agricultural pracitices, appropriate extension services,
revival of LandCare programmes, etc.
Policy must focus on production for food security over
export.
8 March, 2011
internet:http://www.emg.org.za
Monitoring and evaluation
Is policy making a difference?
• Process must be multi-stakeholder.
• MPs have a key role to play in assessing whether the
final policy makes a real difference.
Paper makes no mention of M&E of Adaptation efforts.
8 March, 2011
internet:http://www.emg.org.za
Legislative process
Response to climate change is complex and involves many
stakeholders.
• Policy success is premised on wide-scale participation
and buy-in.
• Future consultation must be as wide as possible.
• Multi-stakeholder dialogue is critical to manage a
painful transition
8 March, 2011
internet:http://www.emg.org.za