SA Minister Molewa wields echo whip

Molewa said developed countries' pledges needed to be greater to reach goals for the reduction of damaging carbon emissions, explaining that, for South Africa to implement its green policy fully, developed countries would have to meet their legal obligations to provide financial, capacity building, technology development and transfer support through the UN.

The US and Saudi Arabia have still not agreed to support the Green Climate Fund, which is aimed at making $100-billion available to developing countries by 2020 to mitigate, and adapt to, the effects of climate change. "Though no majority is needed for this agreement," Molewa said, "every country matters. But there is sufficient consensus to take this forward and for it to be tabled at COP17," she called for "ship jumpers" such as Canada and Japan to "engage" in the conference, Times Live reports.

In a statement published on the Allafrica Service, Molewa said that, for Africa, the success of the climate change talks is central, since it is projected that by 2080, about 70 million people and up to 30% of Africa's coastal infrastructure could face the risk of coastal flooding because of sea level rise. "South Africa (is) carrying the aspirations of Africa and (other parties who) hope to succeed in getting into the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol as part of a future climate regime," she said, adding that COP 17 participants should agree that the "effects of climate change on the planet, its people and economies (must not be) ignored and that we all have a responsibility to save the globe for the future generations."

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