Hon Speaker, the process towards finding an outcome for the 17th Conference of Parties, COP 17, is still under discussion. As you are aware, Mexico is still president of the 16th Conference of Parties, COP 16, until the start of COP 17 on 28 November 2011. Thereafter, South Africa will take over the presidency.
In the meantime, South Africa will work closely with Mexico towards reaching a good and favourable outcome, especially for the developing world, which, primarily, bears the brunt of climate change aggravated by high levels of poverty. The outcome will also be informed by consultations with other key international players as well as participation in the various meetings on the issue in order to build a consensus towards the outcome. Part of the outcome will, certainly, include the implementation of the Cancun Agreements which were the outcome of COP 16.
In the main, South Africa will seek to address the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is to reduce human-induced greenhouse gases. This, however, should not work against poverty eradication. Furthermore, South Africa will work towards strengthening multilateralism and finding ways to ensure that issues of development are taken into account.
South Africa will be seeking an outcome that is fair, equitable, implementable and effective. We have appointed an interministerial committee that is helping the country to prepare for this significant event, at both the logistical and content levels. We will do our best to give the world a good, productive and successful conference. I thank you.
Hon Speaker, honestly, the President has adequately answered my question. Therefore there is no follow-up question, save to emphasise and highlight that I'm quite inspired by what the President is saying ... [Interjections.] ... linked to the fact that, even here in Parliament, we are making our best contribution because the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs has held public hearings on the Green Paper for climate change. Lastly, hon President, what one admires, in particular, is the fact that you have emphasised that the issues of climate change are highly developmental. [Time expired.]
Mr Speaker, I thank the hon President for the response. Mr President, one of the agreements at COP 16 was the recognition that climate change represents an urgent and potentially irreversible threat to human societies and the planet and, thus, requires to be urgently addressed by all parties. Given the fact that we have seen devastation of unparalleled proportions in Japan with the tsunami and the earthquake, which resulted in the loss of thousands of lives, would South Africa not ensure that one of the issues that requires prominence and should be discussed at COP 17 is the impact of climate change, particularly in the South African situation? We know that, due to what has happened in Japan, the impact is felt not only in Japan but around the world in terms of international agreements and economic trade. So, I would like to know whether the President would place high on the agenda of COP 17 the impact of such devastating earthquakes and tsunamis on our country and, furthermore, look at preventative measures that we can take in advance in our own country. Thank you.
Hon Speaker, those matters have been already taken up by the global community. We have discussed them extensively. Long before the Japanese earthquake, there have been cyclones in other countries. There has been a number of other things which have indicated the change. Small countries and small islands have been arguing that they are about to submerge. So, the issue of climate change has already been discussed very seriously.
The Japan situation adds to many examples that argue very strongly that we need to move and move quicker to ensure that we prevent any other situation that could affect people. So, that matter has been discussed, and South Africa has taken up that matter very strongly, arguing, particularly, from the point of view of the developing countries and countries that are at the sea level. That matter will be pursued further, as we have been doing all the time. Thank you.
Hon Speaker, climate change represents one of the greatest examples of global injustice where the actions of wealthy countries are going to have disastrous impacts on the world's poor. Therefore, COP 17 is vital to reach an agreement; we are running out of time with regard to this issue.
Furthermore, this event can be used as a good branding exercise for South Africa to present us as a modern forward-thinking country that will play its role in stabilising the world's climate. We have the responsibility to lead the world towards a binding climate agreement that will prevent the world's average temperature rising by more than 2C.
However, there are countries in the world, particularly developed countries, which are reluctant to sign any agreement that does not bind China as well. My question, therefore, is whether South Africa will continue to insist on a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol for developed countries. If so, how will you go about achieving this? If these countries do not ultimately agree to an extension of the Kyoto Protocol, how will you negotiate in an attempt to bring about a new climate framework? I thank you.
Hon Speaker, the issues raised by the hon member have been addressed. We have been in every conference, arguing very strongly. In Copenhagen countries argued very seriously to have a legally binding agreement. We were not able to do so precisely because other countries were reluctant to do so. It was felt that Cancun may be the place to find it. Even in Cancun we couldn't get a legally binding kind of an agreement because, partly, it would affect the interests of the developed countries.
Of course, South Africa is another occasion to fight for that very objective. We are going to be working very hard - as we have done - lobbying, consulting, and doing everything we can with that objective in mind. That is our objective.
But we are talking to other countries. The problem is that it's not the kind of thing on which one country can take a decision and it applies. You have to rely on the global agreement. Therefore, it's a question of how do we persuade the global forums so that they can reach that particular point. This is what we are going to be doing. We will give it our best to try to arrive at the real legally binding kind of agreement.
As to what the outcome will be, I don't think we can predict that. Our wish is to have the best. However, with the experience of other summits that have been held - which I have just talked about - we know it is not an easy job to do. However, we are going to do our best as a country. Thank you.
Speaker, given the latitude you gave Mr Njikelana, I'm tempted to make a speech, but I'll stick to my question. Hon President, given our country's appalling track record as a world champion carbon emitter and our almost supine position on these important matters to date, what will the government do to demonstrate to delegates of COP 17 in eThekwini that South Africa is not only espousing change in environmental matters, but is, in fact, leading by already acting ahead of other nations regarding climate change issues?
Hon Speaker, I'm not sure about these facts of the hon member that we are a leading carbon emitter in the world. I'm not sure about that. I thought there are countries that have been emitting seriously, but in so far as comparison on the continent of Africa is concerned, that is a different matter. We know exactly that Africa emits 3%, and South Africa has a bigger percentage in that kind of comparison.
We have programmes, and we'll actually give a report of what we are doing as a country, which programmes we are working on on a number of areas to ensure that, by the time we get to COP 17, we are able to say - as we argue for this, but as a country - that this is what we are doing and these are our programmes. I'm sure that, at the right time, government will brief this House as to what we are doing.
Mr Speaker, on a point of order: In the light of the fact that the hon Njikelana chose not to ask a question, would it be possible for the DA to come and ask a question in his stead?
Hon member, we are now on Question 5.
Government's position wrt Ivory Coast's election stalemate
5. Mr V B Ndlovu (IFP) asked the President of the Republic:
(a) What is the government's position with regard to the Ivory Coast's election stalemate, (b) what is the rationale for this position and (c) how does it relate to the positions of the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States?