European Union Commission executive vice president Frans Timmermans had a bleak message for South Africa during a brief visit: all world leaders must expedite their march to cleaner and renewable energy within the decade, or climate change will irreversibly disrupt the livelihoods of the human race.
Timmermans was in South Africa on Friday last week, for a visit which involved engagements with deputy president David Mabuza, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor, Minister of Environmental Affairs Barbara Creecy and Minister of Trade and Industry Ebrahim Patel.
The visit aimed to raise awareness on the European Union’s draft green deal, a proposal international legal framework which sets obligations for countries to reduce emissions, adopt renewables and achieve climate neutrality – or a net zero carbon footprint within the next 80 years.
Timmermans heads up the green deal project.
Timmermans – also the grandson of two coal miners – said that leaders of industry and policymakers around the world had to be bold enough to re-imagine the economy and industries that have exacerbated emissions and climate change.
Not saving the planet but saving ourselves
"I would say that we are not just experiencing climate change. At this point, it’s a climate crisis. This is not about saving the planet. The planet can save itself and has done so before. At this point, it is about saving ourselves," said Timmermans.
Timmermans told reporters on Friday evening that the EU would release its draft Green Deal during the course of the coming week. He said it was a bold plan by the EU to achieve climate neutrality by 2030 and for the rest of the world to have followed suit by the second half of the century.
Timmermans said the African continent, and South Africa in particular, had a vital role to play in taking the world in a positive direction towards climate neutrality, despite the rise of powerful world leaders who ignore the climate crisis.
"The antagonism between Africa and South Africa is that artificial adaption is becoming more important to these nations and their societies. Leaders are racing towards common ground before the next COP (United Nations Climate Change Conference) meeting in Glasgow, Scotland," Timmermans said.
He said that for South Africa, the challenges that came with Eskom as the beleaguered near-sole provider of electricity in the country, were not lost on him. However, he said he believed South Africa’s voice in the international community commanded great authority among developing nations.
"The real challenge of coal-dependent countries is not a matter of if they move away from coal. It is a matter of how to manage the move into a just transition. Because, let’s face that facts, this is going to happen. I think they is a commitment among leaders and people are becoming more aware," he said.
Timmermans said coal energy was leaving the EU market faster than anyone expected that it would, and that the same wave could arrive at Africa’s doorstep, as more people realised the connection between the carbon footprint and erratic weather patterns as well as food and water shortages.
Unbundling benefits
He said while South Africa’s energy challenges were extremely complicated for a number of reasons, Europe had similar challenges as the regional bloc sought to unbundle the energy value chain. However, he said, once people were convinced about unbundling, they soon reaped the benefits.
On a personal note, Timmermans said climate change denialism enjoyed traction in the developing world through movements whose world view was underpinned by the mantra "they are coming to replace us".
However, he said, he is motivated by the thought of what he will say to his own grandson – soon to be born – 20 years from now when the young man asks his grandfather: "When the climate crisis hit, what did you do?"
Yahoo!
Digg
del.icio.us
Facebook
