Dear Ms AF Muthambi, MP Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries,

I am Ian Olivier, a recent medical graduate and Master of Science Student at the University of Cape Town. I, as many other South Africans, am pleased to see the Climate Change Bill being drafted and finalised. This bill is of great importance as it has the potential to shape the South African response to climate change, implementation and further actions to prevent more severe impacts of climate change, as well as efforts to reduce our contribution towards anthropogenic climate change. I just wanted to emphasise some important issues with regards to the bill.

I believe we need more specific policy interventions which will hopefully be led by this bill, especially with regards to climate change response and greenhouse gas emissions and removals (chapter 3 and chapter 5, respectively). I did not see any specific references to the Paris Agreement (or the Republic's Nationally Determined Contribution) and how these should be implemented, I believe this needs to be addressed more specifically as to how South Africa will implement such effective climate change responses and sustainable development.

I also believe specific aspects need to be addressed, including emissions from fossil fuels in South Africa, methane emissions from livestock and further effects on anthropogenic climate change caused by the animal industry in South Africa. It would be important to address the fossil fuel industry and sustainable energy in South Africa specifically, and how greenhouse gas emissions need to be drastically cut in a very short time period in order to reduce our impact. Lastly, this is an emphasis on appreciation but also a plea for caution regarding the use of funding that is efficient, effective and avoids any further spending on unnecessary projects for individual gain.
Thank you for your efforts in drafting this Bill, I only hope that it will be implemented in the most effective and efficient way so that our involvement in climate change is taken seriously.

Regards, Dr Ian Olivier
OLVIAN001@myuct.ac.za, iansimonolivier@gmail.com
+27 82 890 5333