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SA prepares for UNFCCC COP29

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SA prepares for UNFCCC COP29:

As South Africa prepares to participate in the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP29), government has indicated that it will advocate for climate finance for developing nations, adaptation and international cooperation.

Addressing the national stakeholder consultation session on Monday in Johannesburg, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, said there is a pressing need for large-scale financial support to enable developing economy nations to meet their climate targets and progress toward sustainable, low-carbon development.

“The current financing mechanisms have proven insufficient in scale and effectiveness, highlighting the urgency for a new financing model. COP29 presents an opportunity to advocate for innovative and improved financial frameworks that can mobilise substantial resources more efficiently.

“Such a model must ensure predictable, accessible and adequate funding, and address the shortcomings of existing systems and empowering countries like South Africa to implement ambitious climate actions.

“It is furthermore crucial that COP29 accelerates the application of financial, technical and capacity-building resources that will enable developing countries to meet the conditional targets outlined in their NDCs [Nationally Determined Contributions] and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs),” the Minister said.

These resources are instrumental in the efforts of developing economies’ capabilities to mitigate climate risks, enhance resilience and pursue inclusive, sustainable development.

“The new collective quantified goal on finance must provide a clear and ambitious quantification of the financial support needed by developing economy countries to implement their climate commitments and development plans — including NDCs, NAPs, low-emission development strategies, and other relevant policy frameworks, as well as key multilateral goals endorsed since Glasgow,” the Minister said.

He said this goal should also reflect inclusive just transition pathways, aligned with each country’s nationally determined socio-economic development priorities.

“Access to finance must be significantly scaled up to offer new additional and predictable funding that is fit for purpose. Specifically, we need grants and highly concessional financing that can be effectively allocated to create enabling environments for rapid investments.

“By de-risking investments and creating new asset classes for clean technologies, we can unlock and leverage greater amounts of public and private finance,” the Minister said.

The UNFCCC COP 29 will convene from 11 – 22 November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

COP29 will in addition aim to resolve outstanding issues under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

“Finalising the operational details of both market-based and non-market-based mechanisms will be crucial. These cooperative frameworks are vital not only for reducing emissions globally, but also for fostering international collaboration that can spur innovation and help developing economy countries achieve their climate objectives.

“By establishing transparent and robust mechanisms under Article 6, we can enable countries to work together more effectively,” the Minister said.

This cooperation will facilitate technology transfer, attract additional finance, and support sustainable development initiatives.

“For South Africa and other developing nations, resolving these issues is essential to unlocking new opportunities for climate action, enhancing our capacities and accelerating progress toward our NDCs,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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The World’s Largest Man-Made Urban Forest

One of the most surprising facts about Johannesburg is its status as a “green” city. When the first settlers arrived, the Highveld was a barren, treeless grassland (savannah). To support the mining industry, millions of trees were imported and planted to provide timber for mine underground supports. Fast forward to the present day, and Johannesburg is widely considered the largest man-made urban forest in the world.

There are an estimated 10 million trees within the city limits. This includes 1.2 million trees on sidewalks and in parks, and over 4.8 million in private gardens. This forest is so dense that satellite images of the northern suburbs often resemble a tropical rainforest. The most iconic of these trees is the Jacaranda, which was imported from South America in the early 20th century. Every October and November, the city turns a vibrant shade of purple as thousands of Jacarandas bloom simultaneously. However, this “forest” also highlights the city’s historical inequality; during the Apartheid era, trees were predominantly planted in wealthy white suburbs, leaving townships like Soweto as dusty plains. In the last two decades, “Greening Soweto” initiatives have seen hundreds of thousands of trees planted to bridge this “green divide,” emphasizing the role of urban forestry in social justice and climate cooling.