MEDIA STATEMENT: CLIMATE COMMISSION WELCOMES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL CLIMATE RESPONSE FUND

MEDIA STATEMENT – NO EMBARGO

16 February 2024

CLIMATE COMMISSION WELCOMES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL CLIMATE RESPONSE FUND - JOHANNESBURG

The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) held its 13th Ordinary Quarterly Review meeting on Friday 16^th February 2024 in Johannesburg, to broadly review its 2024 work programme, and amongst others consider the recent announcement on the establishment of a Climate Response Fund, the Draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2023), progress towards the enactment of the Climate Change Bill, as well as the outcomes of the United Nations Climate Change 28^th Conference of Parties (COP28) held in the United Arab Emirates in December 2023.

CLIMATE RESPONSE FUND

The Commission welcomed the establishment of the Climate Response Fund as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the 2024 state of the Nation Address (SONA).

“The response could not have come at the appropriate time , as we continue to confront the devastating effect of climate change on our environment and its impact on infrastructure, lives and livelihoods”, “The fund which is a collaborative effort will not only to mitigate loss and damage caused by climate events, but also to support and bolster resilience against such: said Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment , Barbra Creecy during her report to the commission.

“As a commission, in light with our previous calls for increased domestic and international funding for climate action, we commit to actively support the conceptualisation of the fund mechanism, its funding sources and how it can carry it its functions efficiently. We will provide oversight for the fund, which we believe should be independently administered” said Mr Valli Moosa, Deputy Chairperson of the Commission

COP 28 OUTCOMES AND DECISIONS

The 28^th United Nations Conference of Parties (COP28) took place from 30 November to 12 December in Dubai – and aimed to reach consensus on cutting global emissions of greenhouse gases, increasing funding for developing countries to reach their mitigation, adaptation and just transition goals, and operationalising aspects of the Paris Agreement (2015) that were outstanding, such as the Loss and Damage Fund.

The Commission welcomed the Global Stocktake decision, framed as the “UAE consensus” which called for an ‘all of economy,’ ‘all of society’ approach to tackling climate change and achieving a just transition through a transformative development pathway which includes tripling renewable energy, doubling energy efficiency, accelerating sustainable transport, transforming the food system, and protecting forests and nature.

The agreement to establish a fund for Loss and Damage was an early win this COP, with financial commitments of approximately $700 million pledged. While this is an important initial contribution, it falls far short of what is needed by developing countries and the outstanding issues how such as how it will be funded moving forward.

COP28 adopted a Just Transition work programme, with a broad interpretation of a just transition i.e., the just transition demands an all of economy and all of society response. The PCC welcomes the opportunity to make annual submissions to the Just Transition work programme through the national fouls point, which are due by non-Party stakeholders annually, before 15 February.

INTERGATED RESOURCE PLAN

The commission received from Director General of the Department of Mineral Resources an update on the process undertaken to develop the draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) of 2023, currently in the public domain for inputs and comments from stakeholders, and to this end, undertaking a critical appraisal of the draft IRP2023, following its electric planning recommendations and stakeholder recommendations report submitted to president Ramaphosa in April 2023.

The commission reemphasised the centrality of the IRP to energy security as well as our climate response measures and other economic development objectives to encourage localisation and local job creation from construction and maintenance of new generation.

“We believe should focus on multiple policy objectives of “security of supply, energy affordability, and carbon emissions reduction” and the policy choices must be taken based on a long-term decarbonisation trajectory while improving South Africa’s competitiveness, growing the economy through industrial renaissance as outlined in the NDP.” said Lebogang Mulaisi PCC, Chief Operating Officer.

The PCC will incorporate commissioners’ inputs in addition to the stakeholders, experts, and social partners to update Integrated Resource Plan recommendations document and submit to the President and DMRE in March 2024.

ENACTMENT OF THE CLIMATE CHANGE BILL

As the commission entered its fourth year since its establishment in 2020, it noted and appreciated, the progress made towards the enactments of the Climate Change Bill, and the report from Minister Creecy stating Climate Bill is a priority bill of the National Council of Province before its end of term head of the 2024 general election.

The commission applauded the National Assembly for passing the Climate Change Bill in October 2023, paving way for its concurrence in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

The Bill, when it becomes law, will herald a new era in implementing an effective climate change response and support a just transition to a climate-resilient, equitable and internationally competitive low-carbon economy and society, which considers the risks and opportunities expected to arise in implementing the national climate change response.

The Commission called upon all social partners and stakeholders to actively participate in the envisaged public hearings on the Bill by NCOP and reaffirmed its support to the house processes in reaching out to South Africa’s during the public hearings and consultations.

Issued by Presidential Climate Commission