South Africa gov't, social partners sign Green Economy Accord ahead of COP17

S Africa gov't, social partners sign Green Economy Accord ahead of COP17
Business, labor and community organizations representatives in South Africa Thursday signed a Green Economy Accord with government ahead of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) -COP17, commiting to "build and grow the green economy."

According to the accord signed in Cape Town up to 300,000 jobs are possible within a decade if South Africa seized the opportunity 'now and actively" invested in the green economy.

"This accord shows that social partners are ready for COP17, the United Nations climate-change conference due to be hosted by South Africa in ten days time. In the accord, the parties agreed to work closely with government during and after the conference to realize the success of the work and agenda of COP17," Minister of Economic Development Ebrahim Patel said at the signing ceremony, according to a statement released by economic development department.

On the government end the accord involves ten ministries, Energy, Economic Development, Environmental Affairs, Finance, Trade and Industry, Labor, Public Enterprises, Transport, Rural Development and Agriculture, while business combines large companies as well as small businesses.

All three labor federations with a joint membership of more than two million workers under the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) and the National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu) are involved.

Community representatives were drawn from women, youth, cooperatives and civic formations.

The accord contains commitments by all parties, as well as a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to ensure that the goals of the accord are met.

Thursday responding to questions sent by Xinhua, Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) Chairperson on Climate Change Laurraine Lotter said business must be party of solution on climate change. However she called on clear delegation and allocation of responsibilities among all the social partners.

"The private sector is part of the solution to the challenge of climate change and as such will continue to work with government on adaptation and mitigation," Lotter told Xinhua. "Everything is possible, success will require very clear allocation of responsibility," she said.

"Business will demonstrate products and technologies that showcase South African efforts around climate change. Labor, business and community organizations will join government in communicating the message of partnership on the green economy in the accord," Patel said.

The accord came about after discussions conducted under government's New Growth Path (NGP) which calls on government business and labor to work together tackling unemployment and realize its grand target of creating five million jobs by 2020.

"The green economy can create large numbers of jobs, provide a spur for industrialization and help to create a sustainable future for this and the next generations. This accord is one of a series of agreements in which social partners commit to work together to achieve the goals of the New Growth Path. South Africans are drawing together to achieve common national objectives," minister Patel said.

Speaking with Xinhua, Economic development department media officer Saleem Mowzer said the accord is part of an "ambitious plan to shift the economy" to a lower carbon-intensity whilst increasing jobs and industrial development and it contain commitments in 12 areas, ranging from installation of solar water heating systems, to increased investment in green industrial activities and the promotion of green skills at technical level.

At least 3 million households in South Africa still rely on traditional energy carriers like candles and firewood, leading to continued environmental degradation particularly in rural areas and in urban informal settlements. South African industry emits high levels of carbon into the atmosphere as a result of the past reliance on coal-based technologies for energy generation.

"Key points in the accord include commitments by government to the installation of one million solar water heating systems by 2014/15 and to use this to expand the local production of components and heating systems," Mowzer said.

Editor: Xiong Tong

English.news.cn   2011-11-18 09:21:34 FeedbackPrintRSS
by Ntandoyenkosi Ncube

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 17 (Xinhua)