Presentation to the South African Parliament Multi-Party Women’s Caucus : A

Preparatory Workshop for the COP 17 CONFERENCE

Theme: The role of Women Parliamentarians

in Climate Change

Presenter: Buyelwa Sonjica

19 October 20111

Introductory Remarks• Climate change is the biggest challenge facing humanity in the

21st century

• Dealing with climate change requires all of us to know about it

and to participate in the management thereof;

• However, the inequalities between men and women still make

women more vulnerable to the effects od climate

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Climate Change Contextualised• Climate change refers to any change of the state in the climate that

can be identified by changes in the average of variability of its properties e.g. (precipitation, temperature that can persist for an extended period typical decades or longer)

Causes: • Could be Natural• Human activities : Carbon emissions or Greenhouse gas emissions –

fossils, electricity generation, cars and industrialisation

Global warming: Is slightly different although it is used inter-changeably even by some scientists.

• It also refers to documented historical warming of the earth’s surface based upon worldwide temperature records that have been maintained by humans since the 1800s

• It is the combined result of anthropogenic (human caused emissions of greenhouse gasses and changes in solar irradiance)

•

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Cont: Climate Change Contextualised

• Global effects of global warming (change of climate: rising temperatures of the oceans leading to catastrophes-hurricanes, drought, melting ice etc)

What is the status quo?The temperatures are rising at an alarming rate leading to sea

temperatures rising almost at three degrees CelsiusThe effect of that could be catastrophies like floods, droughts etc.The scientific report informs us that the sea temperatures should be

controlled to remain at two degrees Celsius

Impact on AfricaFood: drought/floodsWater, death from catastrophesAfrica is very vulnerable despite the fact that it contributed and

benefited less – approximately 40%, 20% RSA : This impacts on the economy one way or the other.

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Strategic Perspective(a) Global initiatives (b) Differs from country to country mainly determined by the socio- economic conditions prevailing in that country e.g. level of development, strength of the economy, sophistication of societyGlobal Initiatives• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions that will then hopefully reverse

global warming – rising sea temperatures needs all nations to mitigate their actions (use less fossils etc.)

• The negotiations are about that;• Looking for a regime that will share the responsibility equitably –

just and fairly – v benefitted more responsible and are now fully developed the reverse is true about other countries (developing)

• Mobilise global action – global resources- global programmes for mitigation and adaptation 5

Cont; Strategic Perspective

Nationally:Build capacity to deal with catastrophiesAdopt programmes/ policy, legislation to mitigate climate changeBuild capacity to adapt to climate change to deal with disastersEducate the nation

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Global achievements to datei)Globally•UN Resolution on climate Change;• Development / Establishment of Institutional Framework (Committees and Structures: Science and Finance sectors)•Policy Framework : United Nations Framework convention o Climate Change (UNFCC)•Kyoto Protocol•Bali action Plan •Fourth Report of the International Panel on Climate Change(ii) In Africa •AU adopted a common position for Climate Change •52 African countries signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol•We participate in the UN led negotiations for a globally binding climate change regime•Many countries in the continent are developing National programmes and legislation•Africa has established an agency for climate change

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South Africa’s Achievements • Environmental legislation programme designed to deal with;• To reduce carbon emissions • Legislation for water resource management• Biodiversity legislation: To protect the species

• Air quality measuring carbon released into our skies and doing something about it.

• Disaster Management• Agriculture legislation • Strategy on public transport• Energy mix policy

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STRUCTURE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS

(a) Legal framework: (UNFCC,KYOTO Protocol, Bali Action Plan and Fourth Assessment Report)

(b) Organisation and structure: Under the auspices of the United Nations

• Formal Parties for Negotiations: G77+China, Developed Countries

• Informal Parties: Major Economies Forum comprising of 17+ countries: ( including the following ; Germany, India, China, Italy,France,USA,UK,Australia,Russia,Poland,Indonesia,Japan, Spain, Sweden, Mexico, Brazil, Switzerland, South Africa etc.) seen as biggest emitters and SA the only African country in this category

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Cont.; STRUCTURE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS

• BASIC group: Brazil, South Africa, India and China

• African Ministers Committee on Environment (AMCEN): 34 Least developed countries, SA being the highest emitter in Africa

• OPEC countries in Africa

• South Africa: Cabinet which leads the Climate Change negotiations, Parliament passes legislation, ratifies conventions and treaties, oversight on the implementation of legislation

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Processes Guiding Negotiations

• Negotiations are a multilateral process pursued under the auspices

of the United Nations

• They are led by Ministers of Environment with a technical team of

negotiators

• The highest body is the conference of the parties and CMOP7 and

COP17

• These two bodies seat once a year to decide on the outcome of the

negotiations for that current year 11

Advantages and DisadvantagesAdvantages: Brings together all countries to work together as a collective to find a lasting solution to dealing with a the biggest common challenge facing humanity in the 21st centuryCountries share responsibility of combatting climate change.Smaller countries find a voice within the negotiations as they are grouped with bigger and stronger countries.All nations acknowledge that climate change exists and they are committed to do their best in mitigating the effects of climate change.Disadvantages : Countries are always reluctant to compromise their national interests. Developing countries have much more serious social economic and political problems that need prioritisation over climate change.The grouping of the countries is unfavourable for weaker countries as they are expected to conform to a similar regime to their stronger counterparts, e.g. China in the G77It is difficult for the OECD countries to compromise in a way that give space for development to the developing countries.Financial, Technological capacity is skewed in favour of the developed world.

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Key political and legal Issues

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• Effects of Climate Change affecting us today are a consequence of emissions that occurred over the era of industrialisation which happened a 150 years ago. A few countries benefitted;

• Consequences of which are ; global warming and rising temperatures

• Africa contributed the least while it remains the most vulnerable to the vagaries of climate change

• All countries have a responsibility to contribute towards reversing that situation

• Those contributions guided by the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and capabilities

• Developed countries have to take targets in mitigating against climate change while developing countries must commit to actions to mitigate

Cont.; Key political and legal IssuesComplexities;•All countries go into negotiations wanting to protect their national interest

•Developed countries see combatting the effects of climate change as a major priority while developing countries see poverty alleviation as their major priority

•Because of their vulnerability developing countries think that adaptation should take precedence over mitigation and with developed countries the opposite is true

•There is an expectation from the developed world that, developing countries especially the emerging economies must carry a bigger burden in mitigation.•Within the developed world the countries that are signatories to the Kyoto Protocol are opposed to its second commitment

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Cont.; Key political and legal Issues

Complexities;•International Trade Competition between the developed and developing countries:

(a) The issue of DOHA round are surfacing in the climate change debate; technology; and the transfer and intellectual property

•Combatting climate change would impact on the national development plan(e.g. energy, agriculture)

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South Africa’s Principled Position

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(i)An international Legal InstrumentTo protect the weaker countries being muzzled –out with no bargaining powers

(ii) National Mandate for our National Interest;A balance between adaptation and mitigation and a balance between climate change imperatives and development imperatives

(Iii) Consolidation of the African AgendaIt is also important that South Africa plays a significant role in pursuing the continent’s common position

Topical Issues

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• Second commitment of the Kyoto Protocol will have to be balanced with what comes out of the negotiations (Bali Action Plan 1b1 Mitigation Targets by the USA and 1b2 Mitigation actions by developing countries)

• Adaptation at the centre of ensuring support for developing countries

• Implementation/establishment of institutions on finances technology etc.

• Establishment of adaptation committee• Establishment of the Green Climate Fund

The role of womenGender is a forgotten element especially in climate change debate;•Although there is a mention of women in the convention, not enough work has been done by the world to map-out the role of women.

•It was only on the 2 March 2011 that a resolution was sponsored by the UN Commission on the Status of Women on Gender Equality and Climate Change. This resolution is designed to mainstream gender equality and promote the empowerment of women in climate change policies and strategies.

I will explore the role of women in climate change under the following categories; namely

•The Impact of climate change on women given their vulnerability

•Participation of women in the climate change programmes including the UN WWAP•Empowerment f women to deal with or adapt to changing climate conditions

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Cont: The role of women

The Impact of climate change on women given their vulnerability•According to the UN Report on Human Development 70% of the illiterate are women•This places under them under the most underdeveloped areas in their countries e.g. informal settlements, favelas, rural areas •It manifests itself in catastrophes and the majority who suffers the consequences are women

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Cont: Role of WomenParticipation of women in the climate change programmes including

the UN WWAP• There is almost no participation of women globally and nationally

yet if there was it would be a matter of survival for them• It would have an impact on food production, water resources,

health all of those areas need to be led by women• Women have to participate in all the structures that deal with

climate change as a special group or category to bring a unique debate on what should be done in accommodating women in programmes dealing with climate change

• Political parties should have gender and climate change desks to deliberate on the aforementioned matters

• The multi-party caucus could consider establishing a sub-committee on climate change and gender

• Participation at COP17 formulating a resolution calling for the conclusion of the deal as a matter of urgency and also calling for the robust participation of women in all the climate change conferences

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Cont : Role of womenEmpowerment f women to deal with or adapt to changing climate conditions

•Training and education programmes be developed to enable women to take leadership positions•Legislation on climate change be gender sensitive•Women must be empowered with information so as to access economic opportunities from the climate change global programmes

Should there be a global Women’s Movement on Climate Change? 21

Conclusion

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I thank you for the opportunity