All on board to forge consensus on climate action targets towards 2030 - PCC
By Blessing Manale
As a signatory of the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), South Africa is required to submit a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets every five years.
The NDCs are climate action plans by each country outlining how such country plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to help meet the global goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius of pre-industrial levels and adapt to the impact of climate change.
More ambitious emissions-reduction goals are required from countries, particularly the highest emitters, to achieve the now almost impossible task of limiting global warming.
The socio-economic consequences of inaction both locally and globally are going to be dire for vulnerable economies and communities in the developing countries.
For example, coastal communities in South Africa are already feeling the physical climate impacts of climate change and those that are most vulnerable continue to struggle to respond to these climate impacts.
The country submitted its first NDCs in 2016 and the updated NDCs in 2021, both crucial in driving domestic climate action focusing on the agriculture, forestry and other land use, energy, industrial processes, and waste sectors.
The updated NDCs committed the country to a fixed target range for greenhouse gas emissions levels of 398-510 MtCO2e by 2025 and 350-420 MtCO2e by 2030.
The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) played an influential role in the update of the NDC range for 2025 and 2030 that were approved by cabinet, by making recommendations into the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) NDC update process. The 2021 South African NDC has been crucial in driving domestic climate action.
The Global Stocktake (GST) which took place at COP28 in the UAE (2023) provided with clear guidance on what is needed for us to achieve the global goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C by mid-century and pursue efforts for a climate-resilient future.
The 2035 NDC is due for discussion at COP30 to be hosted by Brazil next year and it is critical that the updated NDC, provides a target range that would continue to drive domestic climate efforts that consider climate adaptation and mitigation efforts and their means of implementation.
South Africa aims to access significantly higher levels of climate finance during the periods of implementation of the NDC, with a view to achieving a floor of $8 billion per year by 2030.
We must explore strategies for increasing means of implementation (finance and innovation) for both climate mitigation and climate resilience and adaptation responses in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to help achieve the global goal.
But the transition to low-carbon economies can have undesired consequences such as higher costs of living, job displacement and loss of income, or increased energy and food insecurity.
This is why we need to understand the socio-economics of climate action through an equity and justice lens and understand the impacts of this transition and make sure that we are minimizing the losses and maximizing the benefits.
There is heated local debate on the level of ambition required for the update of the 2035 NDCs, but it is important for us to locate this debate (and targets) in the context of a pace that strengthens and unlocks sustainable industrial development across all sectors of the economy.
Furthermore, NDCs are often seen as only part of climate action plans and global target compliance, however, they are also drivers for economic growth and sustainable development.
There is an urgent need for innovative and economic arguments that bolster collective leadership from a variety of social partners who can influence the targets of South Africa’s 2035 NDC range.
However, this is complicated by low levels of NDC and climate literacy.
The PCC is of the conviction that that all stakeholders are exposed to and understand the body of research that demonstrates that climate compatible transitions are also positive for the economy and are lower risk.
This is why we are we have taken it upon ourselves, to deepen understanding of climate literacy and NDCs within the context of socio-economic development and what it means for a Just Transition to a low carbon economy.
To this extend will be engaging all social partners to solicit their views as to what should be contained within the NDC and has initiated a series of capacity building sessions with the aim to create awareness, inform and capacitate stakeholders.
This engagement will equally be focused on gender mainstreaming into NDC implementation, with emphasis on creating an enabling policy environment for gender-responsive climate action and initiatives that empower and capacitate youth on climate issues.
In the next six months as we update and implement our shorter- and longer-term national climate pledges, the NDC review offers is a unique opportunity to embed the principles, processes, and practices of just transition within them.
Blessing Manale is the head of communications and outreach, Presidential Climate Commission (PCC).
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