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Reaching the summit

Lezette Engelbrecht
By Lezette Engelbrecht, ITWeb online features editor
Johannesburg, 26 Jan 2011

Realism. This was the hallmark of the recent climate change summit in Cancun, Mexico, and what will be needed as SA prepares to host the next major UN conference in Durban during December.

At an event discussing the road to the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, government and business leaders stressed the need for both a pioneering and pragmatic approach if the country is to help resolve outstanding issues.

While the Cancun presidency managed to drag negotiations back on track, several policy decisions remain unresolved, and SA faces a tough task in Durban at the end of the year.

It also means the local environmental focus will be more acute, as global attention and the country's emission reduction pledges cast scrutiny on its resource use. Another factor is Eskom's warning at the beginning of the year that SA faces a tight energy supply until new power stations come online in two years' time.

Joanne Yawitch, deputy director-general for climate change at the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), said the country will have to lower its expectations, as did Mexico, and not seek “big bang” outcomes. However, there's a need to actively engage with issues. “We mustn't build expectations too high, but not dumb them down either.”

One key issue needing attention is technology transfer. This is vital to enable developing countries to prepare for climate change impacts and make economies more sustainable while maintaining growth. Government has committed to lowering SA's emissions by 34% compared to business as usual by 2020, and 42% by 2025. This is on condition of receiving financing and technology assistance from wealthier nations.

Technology transfer, collaboration and aid from richer countries are being facilitated by the Green Climate Fund, comprising $30 billion in fast-start financing, and building to $100 billion annually by 2020.

But the guidelines and modalities surrounding the Green Climate Fund still have to be ironed out, and Yawitch noted that technology access and intellectual property rights and patents had to be made available at a price that's affordable.

The Durban conference will also be a global opportunity for SA to show its renewable energy and green industry potential, said Yawitch. She explained that Mexico used the COP 16 to show what the country is doing in terms of sustainability.

“It's a huge networking opportunity that's coming and a huge international platform to show off the best of SA.” She adds, however, that people will also be looking for the worst of SA, in the context of it being an energy-dependant nation. “We have to think very carefully about how we profile the country.”

All aboard

This increased focus on the country's environmental practices will have significant implications for the corporate world.

Valerie Geen, director of climate and energy at the National Business Initiative, pointed out that business has to be seen as a partner in moving towards a greener growth path, given that many of the solutions to climate change may rest at the door of business or involve it somehow.

It has to be in your face and top of mind.

Barry Bredenkamp, operations manager, National Energy Efficiency Agency

Wendy Poulton, GM of corporate sustainability at Eskom, said the question facing many companies was: 'How do we as business begin to bridge the gap between ourselves and government and work together?'

Reflecting on the side events at Cancun, she said there was a strong message to business that leaders understand the process is slow. But one speaker used an analogy to guide business' response. “The negotiation process is the tortoise, and business is the hare. You must be forging a way ahead - don't wait for the international process.”

Poulton added that business was clearly concerned about the uncertainty issue, but also risked falling behind by doing nothing.

“Business is already doing lots of things in technology transfer. What we want from government is a process to incentivise that faster. Business is saying: 'Let's work together with you to ensure a proper enabling process'.”

One way in which business can get directly involved is through the National Climate Change Response Green Paper. The DEA announced this month that it will conduct consultation workshops in various provinces to discuss the green paper.

The document outlines government's policy framework for dealing with the effects of climate change and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. It also presents the vision for the long-term transition to a low-carbon economy and society, says the DEA.

Rohitesh Dhawan, resources economist and sustainability adviser at KPMG, noted that the global business event held at Cancun - the World Climate Forum - sent a strong message that “the success of the green economy will be driven by business through government, not by government through business”.

He urged local companies to engage with the green paper negotiations and to identify industries that tackle mitigation and adaptation, and create jobs. “Nationally appropriate mitigation actions within the private sector play an important role. Neither the private nor public sectors have truly grasped the opportunities.”

Clued up

While government and business have their work cut out for them, the greater population also has a key role to play leading up to the climate summit, and beyond as energy constraints loom.

One of the ways for the country to tackle its energy problems is by becoming more efficient, says Barry Bredenkamp, operations manager at the National Energy Efficiency Agency.

He says there are two major problems facing SA. One is limited capacity to meet demand while striving for economic growth (which brings additional demand on resources). Second is environmental pressure, given most of the country's electricity is generated using non-renewable coal.

Accelerated energy efficiency - more output for less or the same input - means capacity can be freed up to sustain growth. “For example, you often see streetlights burning during the day or lights left on in buildings. It's simple things we take for granted that could bring huge savings.”

The other way to sustain energy supply is via technological solutions, although these come at a price, adds Bredenkamp. “Human behaviour is really the no-cost option and can have immediate results.” He points to Europe, which has achieved 22% in energy savings purely from behavioural changes.

“We need more concerted campaigns; something that has the same impact as 'Yebo Gogo' and its association with Vodacom. It has to be in your face and top of mind.”

Yawitch noted that the overriding need at Durban is securing an international outcome, and considering how national initiatives co-operate with that outcome.

But that requires the general population to become a lot more clued up about energy efficiency - and fast.

“In the next year, I'm hoping for clear policy development coming from government that integrates all spheres,” says Bredenkamp.

“The policy on energy changes literally every month; we need stability so we're all on the same page and can work together to radically change the way we use energy in the country.”

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