South Africa as an Agent of Climate Change
By Sakhile Koketso
Greenhouse gas emissions have been identified globally as one of the major drivers of climate change. There are five categories of greenhouse gas emissions in South Africa classified according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). These categories are energy, industrial processes, agriculture, land use changes and forestry, and waste. Carbon dioxide is the most significant greenhouse gas for South Africa contributing more than 80% of total emissions. Methane contributes up to 11.4% while nitrous oxide, the third greenhouse gas produced in South Africa, contributes up to 5.5%.
Greenhouse gas emissions
The government of South Africa has prepared several policies and strategies on climate change. These include the National Climate Response Strategy of 2004, the South African Country Study on Climate Change of 2000, and the Long Term Mitigation Scenarios Planning which is to be completed in the first half of 2008.
Although the South African government wants to reduce greenhouse gases and adapt to climate change some of its policies run counter to such efforts. For example, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism has developed programmes to combat climate change, while the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME), through public corporations such as Eskom and PetroSA, has announced major developments that are likely to have a negative effect on the climate. A new coal power station in Limpopo and a new petroleum refinery in the Eastern Cape will both lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
Low energy prices
Furthermore, low priced energy is at the core of the country’s growth and development policy. This is one of the competitive advantages South Africa uses to encourage foreign direct investment, yet it will hamper efforts to mitigate climate change.
Although renewable energy is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, the government has not invested significantly in its research and development. Also, energy efficiency policies are not being implemented quickly enough.
The role of businesses has thus far been limited to voluntary agreements such as the Energy Efficiency Accord. Industry and government are promoting crop based biofuels that could add to the problem. Most biofuel crops are energy intensive. By the time crops are being converted into fuel they have already contributed to greenhouse gas emissions.
Biofuels - solution or problem?
Local government has become more active on climate change. In August 2006 Cape Town adopted an Energy and Climate Change Strategy. This includes meeting the city’s energy needs through renewable energy, promoting energy efficiency, provision of reliable public transport, and improved city planning. Other local governments have adopted similar measures, e.g. the Western Cape Provincial Government and the cities of Johannesburg and Durban.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), faith-based groups, and labour organisations have realised the urgency of the issue. They have created networks for action against climate change such as the South African Energy Caucus and the South African Climate Action Network (SACAN).
South Africa and the Kyoto Protocol
South Africa signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1993 and ratified it in 1997. In 2002 the country acceded to the Kyoto Protocol. As a developing country, South Africa does not have caps on its greenhouse gas emissions.
South Africa believes that it should contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases - yet to a lesser degree than developed countries. In a speech at a recent environmental awards ceremony, the Minister of Environmental Effairs and Tourism, Martinus van Schalkwyk, harshly criticised the US for stalling climate negotiations and for refusing to take action. He stressed the government’s policy on common but differentiated responsibilities stating that “developing countries such as ourselves will be expected, and should be expected, to take our fair share of responsibility and demonstrate our plans to contribute to the global response, albeit in a differentiated way that recognises our growth imperative and our small contribution thus far to the current crisis ”.
Sustainable development
While it is true to say that South Africa contributes to climate change, its historical contributions are minimal compared to those of developed countries. Given its long history of oppression and the state of poverty that most of its citizens live in, South Africa needs to provide hospitals, schools, roads, and other infrastructure and social developments to its previously disadvantaged communities. To achieve this, the country needs a stable growing economy. It would be grossly unfair to expect South Africa to abandon its current economic drive while other countries have benefited from decades of development based on fossil fuels.
The question for South Africa and most developing countries is therefore, how to achieve development without jeopardising the environment that this development is based on?
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