Chairperson, I would also like to start by echoing all our colleagues in supporting Budget Vote No 29. Chairperson, hon Minister, hon colleagues, and all present in this august House, I wish to dedicate my contribution in this debate to our voters throughout South Africa and, to the friends of the ANC throughout Africa and the world. I shall start by saying thank you to all who voted for the ANC in the local government elections recently. The ANC requested me to focus on climate change, The 17th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP 17, and the green economy in today's debate. I wish to start by asking a question - what is climate change?
Climate change is a phenomenon that takes place when carbon dioxide accumulates in the atmosphere, forming a blanket around the earth that traps heat energy in the atmosphere, thereby warming the earth and altering the climate.
It alters the normal functioning of the earth systems, for example, by causing shifts in rainfall as well as the amount of rain that falls. Instead of rain falling throughout summer, climate change could cause the entire amount of rain that would have fallen in a season to fall in just one month. This would cause flooding and eventually drought in the same area as the rainfall is not spread out over time.
These floods and droughts affect poor people more negatively as they have no resources to adapt to the impacts. The consequence of this, if not attended to, could lead to very serious challenges, such as diminished natural resources; reduced agricultural production, thereby worsening food security; increased flooding and drought, thereby spreading various diseases; and increased risk of conflict over scarce land and water resources. That is climate change!
This leads us to the next difficult question. What should be done to address the reduction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? The South African government, due to the high greenhouse gas emission profile, has been forced to take necessary measures, both domestically and internationally, with the aim to address both mitigation and adaptation.
In the domestic arena, our achievements are: the release of the National Climate Change Response Strategy for South Africa in 2004; the completion of the Long-Term Mitigation Scenario study and its release in 2008; the hosting of a Climate Change Response Policy for South Africa in March 2009; convening the Green Economy Summit in May 2010 and; the release of the National Climate Change Response Police Green Paper in 2010, on which the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs held public hearings here in Parliament in March 2011.
The need to mitigate energy related greenhouse gas emissions is a major theme of this Green Paper. The Green Paper's response clearly articulates the government's responsibility for the wise governance of the earth's climate by pursuing a green economic growth and development.
The green economy includes green energy generation based on renewal energy to substitute polluting fossil fuels and energy conservation for efficient energy use. It is considered viable for green jobs; shows real sustainable economic growth; and will prevent environmental pollution and degradation.
The green economy is based on the following six main sectors: renewable energy; green buildings; clean transportation; water management; waste management; and land management.
In the international arena, it is important to know that energy in itself is the international enabler of the world's economies, let alone the role it plays in a household life internationally. Let me take this opportunity to note that the generation of energy in many respects emits a lot of carbon dioxide contributing to the challenge of climate change which the whole world is grappling with to date. The question is: What is the history of this challenge?
A scientific gathering in 1979 declared to call upon the world's governments to foresee and prevent a potential man-made change in climate that might be adverse to the well-being of humanity. This gathering established a worldwide programme under the responsibility of a body called the "World Meteorological Organisation", the United Nations Environment Programme and the International Council of Scientific Unions. These bodies took that responsibility upon themselves. In 1992 in Rio, a framework that enables international communities to agree on future action as science improves and new tools and technologies become available, was agreed upon in the form of a convention. This framework established the rules of the game, set long-term goals, determined key principles and identified main areas of work.
This convention was finalised 15 months later, signed by 154 states and came into force on 21 March 1994. South Africa signed and ratified it on 29 August 1997, and has been active in this process to date. It is important to note that South Africa is hosting the 17th Conference of the Parties, COP 17, in Durban in December 2011, this year. A very important conference indeed!
Chairperson, I shall not have completed my task if I do not take the opportunity to make reference to the debates that have been ensuing here today. I want to say that the elections took place on 18 May 2011. There is no need to electioneer. As the ANC, we are happy with the outcome that gave us over 60%. We are satisfied with that. [Applause.]