United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Climate Change and Sustainable Development: The South African Experience

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United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Climate
Change and Sustainable Development The South
African Experience

• Presented by C.A. Tham (South Africa)
• 15 16 0CTOBER 2008
• NEW YORK

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Outline of Presentation

• Social Context and Background of South Africa.
• Legal Reforms to Legitimize Concept of
  Sustainable Development.
• Section 24 of Constitution of SA.
• Development of Legal Mechanism to enhance
  Sustainable Development.
• National Framework on Sustainable Development
• Air Quality and Climate Change Indicators
• Climate Change and Indicators of Sustainable
  Development
• Conclusion Recommendations

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Background and Social Context of South Africa (SA)

• SA has a medium development index,equivalent to a
  rank of 111 out of 175 countries (UNDP 2003).
• High levels of inequality between people, places,
  genders, etc.
• Legacy of apartheid has left enormous disparities
  in wealth and massive backlog in service
  provision (eg assess to potable water,
  electricity adequate sanitation).
• Severe insecurity of land tenure, especially for
  people poor in both urban and rural areas.
• Recently HIV/AIDS and unemployment is having
  negative impact on the socio-economic context

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Legal Reforms to introduce Concept of Sustainable
Development in SA

• New Constitution with Bill of Rights adopted in
  1996 (Chapter 2)
• Everyone has the right to have access to adequate
  housing (Section 26)
• Everyone has the right to have access to health
  care services, sufficient food and water (Section
  27)
• Everyone has the right to basic education
  (Section 29)
• Everyone has the right to fair labour practices
  (Section 23)
• Everyone has the right to an environment that is
  not harmful to their health or wellbeing (Section
  24).

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Section 24 of Constitution

• Everyone has the right
• (a). To an environment that is not harmful to
  their health or wellbeing and
• (b). To have the environment protected for the
  benefit of present and future generations,
  through reasonable legislative and other measures
  that
• (i) prevent pollution and ecological
  degradation
• (ii) promote conservation and
• (iii) secure ecologically sustainable
  development and use of natural resources while
  promoting justifiable economic and social
  development.

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Development of Legal Mechanisms to Enhance
Sustainable Development

• The Constitution (Act 108 0f 1996)
• Environmental Policy of South Africa
• National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) Act
  107 of 1998).
• NEMA Protected Areas Act (Act 57 of 2003)
• NEMA Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004)
• NEMA Air Quality Act (Act of 2004)
• NEMA EIA Regulations 2006
• NEMA Integrated Coastal Management Bill
• NEMA Integrated Waste Management Bill

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Development of Legal Mechanisms to Enhance
Sustainable Development
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National Framework on Sustainable Development
(NFSD)

• In Johannesburg at WSSD 2002, JPOI was adopted
  which sets 37 targets for sustainable development
  as well as meeting MDG goals.
• In response to JPOI, South Africa has developed a
  National Framework for Sustainable Development
  (NFSD).
• Purpose of NFSD (In two-fold)
• (i) To articulate South Africas vision for
  sustainable development
• (ii) Specify strategic interventions in order to
  re-orientate South Africas development path in a
  more sustainable direction.

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National Framework on Sustainable Development
(Contd)

• NFSD seeks to build on existing national
  programmes and strategies that have emerged over
  last 14 years.
• NFSD proposes a national vision and principles
  for sustainable development.
• NFSD proposes focus areas (e.g. climate change)
  for strategic intervention.
• NFSD will act as guideline for the development of
  the National Strategy and Action Plan for
  sustainable development.
• The NFSD will be utilized by all social partners,
  and organs of state within national, provincial
  and municipal spheres to refine and realign
  their policies and decision-making systems in
  order to promote sustainable development.

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National Vision for Sustainable Development from
the NFSD

• South Africa aspires to be a sustainable,
  economically prosperous and self-reliant nation
  state that safeguards its democracy by meeting
  the fundamental human needs of its people, by
  managing its limited ecological resources
  responsibly for current and future generations,
  and by advancing efficient and effective
  integrated planning and governance through
  national, regional and global collaboration
  (NFSD 2008)

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Principles for Sustainable Development from NFSD

• Fundamental principles which relates to
  fundamental human rights as enshrined in the
  national Constitution
• Human dignity and social equity
• Justice and fairness
• Democratic governance
• Substantive Principles
• Efficient and sustainable use of natural
  resources
• Socio-economic systems are embedded within, and
  dependant upon, eco-systems
• Basic human needs must be met to ensure resources
  necessary for long-term survival are not
  destroyed for shot-term gain.

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NFSD Sustainable Development Indicators

• National Framework for Sustainable Development
  (NFSD) will contribute towards the development of
  a coherent set of sustainable development
  indicators for the nation.
• At present, individual organizations and
  institutions have their own set of indicators for
  sustainable development.
• Intention of NFSD is to co-ordinate the
  fragmented indicators and come up with one
  national set of indicators.

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Sustainable Development Indicators and
Municipalities (Local Authorities)

• It is now a statutory requirement for all local
  authorities in SA to developed an Integrated
  Development Plan (IDP) projecting their
  developments goals in a timeframe of a 5-year
  term (MSA Act of 2000).
• Annual IDP reviews are undertaken every year to
  establish among other things how municipalities
  have incorporate the principles of sustainability
  in their IDP documents.
• National and Provincial departments of
  Environment have a set of sustainability
  indicators that are utilized to review the IDP
  documents.

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IDP Review and Sustainable Development Indicators

• Has sustainable development principles as
  espoused in NEMA being incorporated in the IDP
  document?
• Is there compliance with NEMA EIA Regulations on
  all projects identified in the IDP document?
• Is there compliance with enviro-sectors plans eg
  Air Quality Plans, Coastal Management Plans,
  Waste Management Plans, etc?
• Is there a SEA as a layer to the IDP document?
• Has an EMF being developed for environmental
  sensitive geographical areas in the municipality?

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Climate Change and Indicators of Sustainable
Development

• Examples of Climate Change in SA
• (i). Extreme weather patterns
• (ii). Rise in sea levels
• (iii). Floods and droughts
• (iv). Erosion of coastal shore lines
• (v). Scarcity of water in the Western Cape area,
  etc.

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Recent (2007/08) Examples of Climate Change
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Recent (2007/08) Examples of Climate Change
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Some Impacts of Climate Change

• Reduced crop yield due to prevailing drought in
  Zululand.
• Impact on tourism as coastal resorts were
  destroyed in recent high tides.
• Unemployment as resorts workers are left without
  a job.
• Knock-on effect on dependants and family members
  quality of live as bread winner in family is
  without a job.
• Increased coastal erosion along the Kwa-Zulu
  Natal Coastline
• Lost of residential properties and other personal
  belongings as sea level rises.
• Higher temps. has a negative influence on
  livestock.

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The wrath of the climate change at its best!!
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Tinley Manor
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The Galley, Ballito
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Climate Change Status Quo National/Provincial
Initiatives

• Adoption of the National Climate Change Response
  Strategy in 2005.
• Recent adoption of cabinet of a Proposal on
  Climate Change Policy Development (July 2008).
• Formation of Climate Change Steering Committees
  at provincial level.
• Steering Committees comprising of all relevant
  government department and local authorities.
• Core functions of steering committees is to
  develop an Action Plan to mitigate impacts of
  climate changes in provinces (Eg KZN Province).

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Air Quality Climate Change Indicators

• Is there an adopted Air Quality Management Plan
  for the municipality in compliance with NEMA Air
  Quality Act?
• Is there a designated air quality officer
  responsible for coordinating matters pertaining
  to air quality management in the municipality?
• Are there adequate/effective air quality
  monitoring equipments in the municipality?
• Percentage of key pollutants monitored according
  to the specifications in the National Air Quality
  Framework.
• Degree of exceedence of national standards for
  ambient concentrations of key pollutants in the
  municipality.

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Air Quality Climate Change Indicators (Contd)

• Number of air quality related complaints received
  by the local municipality per year.
• Change in trends in levels of SO2, NO2, PM10 in
  a local municipal area.
• Percentage change in the number of daily
  exceedance of 24hrs average SO2, NO2, PM10,
  South Africa standards.
• Percentage change in total particulates in a
  local municipal area.
• Percentage of key pollutants monitored in a local
  municipal area according to the specifications in
  the National Air Quality Framework.

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Climate Change Indicators

• Is there an adopted Coastal Management Plan for
  the relevant coastal municipality?
• How are many coastal sustainable livelihoods
  project have been initiated per annum?
• Percentage of coastal municipalities with a
  proclaimed coastal set back line in accordance
  with the Coastal Management Bill
• Percentage of coastal management committees
  formed and operational.
• What is the economic value of the coastal goods
  and services on the municipality

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Conclusion Recommendations

• Adaptation Strategies for Communities facing
  climate change as a challenge
• Action Plans of provincial Steering Committees on
  Climate Change must come up with such Adaptation
  Strategies.
• Climate change indicators to be developed and
  incorporated into Coastal management Plans for
  Coastal Municipalities.
• Provincial/National Govt. must provide funds for
  adaptation strategies.
• Education, Training and Awareness
• Literacy campaigns within vulnerable communities
  (e.g. informal settlements) must be initiated
  and intensified.
• EG Seminars, Workshops, Dramas Plays, TV/Radio
  Advertisements, etc.
• Introduction of climate change in school
  curricula, etc.

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Recommendation (Contd)

• On the global front
• A more robust and legally binding framework on
  sustainable development must be investigated by
  the UN at the next earth summit. (Just like the
  IPCC in 1988 which later developed into a
  Convention as UNFCCC).

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For More Info

• Contact
• Mr. C.A. Tham (MEnvDev)
• KZN Department of Agriculture and Environmental
  Affairs
• Private Bag X9059
• Pietermaritzburg 3200
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Email Christian.Tham_at_dae.kzntl.gov.za
• Cell 27 82 886 4076
• National Website http//www.environment.gov.za
• Provincial Website http//agriculture.kzntl.gov.za

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Winston Churchill

• The pessimist sees difficulty in every
  opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in
  every difficulty

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THANK YOU!!!