SUMMARY ON SACC SUBMISSION NATIONAL CLIMATE RESPONSE GREEN PAPER

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SUMMARY ON SACC SUBMISSION NATIONAL CLIMATE
RESPONSE GREEN PAPER
CLIMATE JUSTICE DEMANDS CHURCHES SOLIDARITY WITH
THE VULNERABLE
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CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW

• In the face of unresolved commitment to Kyoto
  Protocols and possible trade-offs
• that wealthier nation may want to foist on South
  Africa we need to
• Deliver on emission reduction commitments and
• Take a stand as a 21st Century Ethical Leader for
  Climate Justice as a global
• phenomenon caused undisputedly by human action
  that impacts
• disproportionately on the poorest and most
  vulnerable people and the biosphere.
• For the Churches in particular and Faith
  Communities in general, Climate
• Change is the result of social, moral and
  spiritual crisis and, therefore, a
• Justice issue. .
• Let us prepare to host the 17th Conference of
  Parties (COP 17) in Solidarity and
• Urgency with the poorest and most vulnerable in
  our nation and world.
• The 2C target is a weak compromise. Embarrass
  the wealthier nations.
• Be principled and aim for a goal limiting further
  warming by 1,5C by 2050.

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The SACC welcomes the Green paper Climate
Change Response Strategy but rejects the attempt
to accommodate developed countries and our own
energy intensive economy in a strategic
compromise to recognize and address this and
also create mechanisms that will give high carbon
sectors the support and time to move to lower
carbon forms of production. (p.7). The SACC
says SA should stand unequivocally and in
solidarity with the poorest and developing
countries that are bearing the brunt of developed
countries historical actions that have and
continue to harm the world. The SACC says that
South Africa is in a favourable position to
reject all attempts at carbon trading and
carbon footprint trading and set global
Accountability on those historically responsible
for the diseased global environment. MITIGATION
means interventions to reduce Green House Gases
and/or enhance Carbon sinks. ADAPTATION means
responses that increase the ability of human and
ecological subsystems to manage or cope with
climate change. Climate Justice means tackling
both mitigation and adaptation effectively and
equitably.
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• WATER, AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN HEALTH ADAPTATION
  RESPONSES
• The SACC believes that all adaptation strategies
  should be viewed as urgent
• in the short, medium and long term. While we
  support DWEAs imperative
• to ensure we can sustain affordable water to
  all. (5.1.1) we call on DWEA to ensure
• that all levels of government will act
  cooperatively to ensure water resources and local
  
• and regional level (5.1.2) and enforce the
  polluter pays principle and ensure that water
• Sources are fit for drinking (5.1.11) (without
  compromise on solvents)
• On Agriculture, the SACC commends to DWEA the
  report and work by
• UNFCC establishment Subsidiary Body for
  Scientific and Technological
• Advice (SBSTA) Five Year Programme of Work on
  Impacts, Vulnerability and
• Adaptation to Climate Change as it progresses in
  research, impacts and
• development of alternate strategies for
  agricultural adaptation (5.2.1-5.2.5)
• On Human Health, the SACC affirms the approaches
  in 5.3.1-5.3.8 as dealing
• with Human Health at the heart of climate
  justice. The SACC advises that in
• conjunction with the Dept. of Health, that
  further adaptation strategies be

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• Climate Justice and Mitigation Sectors
• Energy The SACC affirms its approach in the
  DIRP Energy (Electricity)
• submissions that energy justice is about finding
  rapid alternatives to its Cheap
• but dirty source of energy. From environmental,
  social, health and economic
• perspectives, the SACC urges government to
  immediately explore the path of
• renewable energy. The Churches and other Faith
  Communities have positive
• awareness roles to play in promoting lessons on
  energy efficiency and
• renewable energy as mitigation for climate
  justice. Note The Churches
• understand that the scientific evidence does not
  uphold nuclear energy as either
• a renewable and/or sustainable energy source.
• Business and Commerce - How ready are the sectors
  to adapt to the National
• Climate Change Response? From our AlterNative
  Mining Indaba with NGOs
• and communities around Africa affected by Mining
  Corporations the Churches
• are demanding that extractive mining corporations
  comply with
• Free, Prior and Informed Consent
• Genuine participation of Traditional leaders with
  communities as accountable
• servants of communities
• Environmental and Social Impact Assessments to be
  conducted by experts
• independent of government and private sector
  interests

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CLIMATE JUSTICE AND CHURCHES SOLIDARITY
CONCLUSION Government is to be commended for
defining climate change as all of our business
as its strategy as a partnership with the South
African people ... to empower people and give
them understanding, choice and control over
climate related decisions that affect their daily
lives and work. (p. 30). We point out that
South Africa already possesses a sophisticated
democracy with checks and balances including
constitutionally mandated processes of
consultation and participatory decision making.
We look forward to the proposals in the White
Paper but continue to seek clarity on the kind of
partnership that would define governments
intent on making climate change the business of
all. A FURTHER role for the Churches perhaps
from the SACC, COSATU and SANGOCO alliance within
the Peoples Budget Campaign. Also, a reminder
that monitoring and evaluation of impacts on
communities will be more effective as a
partnership. The Churches can be good sources of
the kind of partnership that yield results for
transformation.