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Ref: 02/1/5/2
MINISTER
QUESTION NO. 277 FOR WRITTEN REPLY: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
A draft reply to Mr M W Makhubela (COPE-Limpopo) to the above-mentioned
question is enclosed for your consideration.
Ms Nosipho Ngcaba
DIRECTOR-GENERAL
DATE:
DRAFT REPLY APPROVED/AMENDED
MRS B E E MOLEWA, MP
MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
DATE:
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
(For written reply)
QUESTION NO. 277
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 21 CW341E
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 05 August 2011
Mr M W Makhubela (COPE-Limpopo) to ask the Minister of Water and
Environmental Affairs:
Whether the Government has succeeded in improving South Africaâs position
regarding carbon emission offenders in Africa and the world; if not, why
not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Mr M W Makhubela (COPE-Limpopo)
SECRETARY TO PARLIAMENT
HANSARD
PAPERS OFFICE
PRESS
277. THE MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ANSWERS:
South Africa is a significant emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs) - no
matter how the ranking of the carbon emitters is calculated.
In a recent study[1] (see attached), it was shown that in 1950, South
Africa was emitting around 60 million tons (Mt) of carbon dioxide
equivalent (CO2-eq) GHGs into the atmosphere per year (Mt/annum). For
comparative purposes, these GHG emissions accounted for about 90% of Sub-
Saharan Africaâs total emissions and were about the same as what India was
emitting each year. By 1990, South Africa was emitting 347 Mt CO2-eq/annum
which accounted for about 70% of Sub-Saharan Africaâs total emissions and
about 33% of what India was emitting each year. By 2000, South Africa was
emitting around 435 Mt CO2-eq/annum which accounted for about 65% of Sub-
Saharan Africaâs total emissions and again about 33% of what India was
emitting each year.
From the above it is clear that South Africaâs GHG emission position or
rank has been dropping/improving over time. Indeed, there now appears to be
some evidence that Nigeria has recently overtaken South Africa as Africaâs
largest source of GHG emissions.
However, these relative improvements in âcarbon emission offenderâ ranking
should not lead to complacency and South Africa still has a long way to go
before it can fully claim to have made a fair contribution to global GHG
mitigation efforts.
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[1] Letete, T., Guma, M. & Marquard, A. 2010. Information on climate change
in South Africa: greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation options. Energy
Research Centre, University of Cape Town, 29pp.