South African CEOs Want Climate Change Outcomes

As the world grapples with climate change
challenges, a group of about 40 South African CEOs has formed a forum to work
with government at ministerial and director general level on policy issues to
help government ensure the success of the global Climate Change conference from
November 28 to December 9 in Durban. In 2012 the spotlight is on Brazil. Under the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Congress on Justice, Governance
and Law for Environmental Sustainability (World Congress) will be organised to
support the Rio +20, so called because it will be held 20 years after the first
Earth Summit in Rio in 1992.

13 August, 2011 18:48

LUCKY BIYASE

Business Times (South Africa)

CEOs join climate change policy talks

As the world grapples with climate change
challenges, a group of about 40 South African CEOs has formed a forum to work
with government at ministerial and director general level on policy issues.

They will try to help government ensure the
success of the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change – dubbed the 17th
Conference of Parties (COP 17) – which takes place from November 28 to December
9 in Durban.

David Brown, CEO of Impala Holdings, who
heads the forum, alongside Eskom’s Brian Dames and Sasol’s David Constable,
said government is formulating policy on climate change and the forum hopes to
have a positive influence on the process.

“As a main economic driver, business
could be profoundly affected by the climate changes. This could have unintended
effects on job creation and poverty alleviation. If you mention carbon tax,
people tend to focus more because this involves rands and cents. So that is why
we want to be part of a response to climate change threats and at the same time
make sure that we don’t err as we go there,” he said.

Brown said the CEO forum wants to rid
business of the image of saying no to policy initiatives and rather be seen as
being a contributor.

“We see the need for SA to adapt to the
changing climate as this will certainly be problematic to our future
generations. We see a need for a strong partnership between government and
business. This will ensure that as we take a step towards the promulgation of
climate change legislation we make sure that business remains resilient and our
input at the COP 17 recognises this,” Brown said.

The COP is a set of international
environmental agreements crafted at the UN’s Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

One of these aims to stabilise greenhouse gas
concentrations in the atmosphere to prevent man-made influence on the climate
system.

Brown said the forum has held meetings with
the department of environmental affairs and the department of international
relations and co-operation.

“The meetings were held in good spirit.
What is equally encouraging is that they are held at the minister, director
general and CEO level, which strengthens the process by makng decision-making easier
and faster,” Brown said.

The forum is not replacing other business
organisations such as Business Unity SA and the Business Leadership SA.

“We are just a loose advocacy formation
of CEOs as we go to the COP 17 process. After COP 17 we will sit down again and
see what happens,” said Brown.

Source: www.businesslive.co.za

United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development (Rio +20)

19 August 2011

World Congress to play key environmental role

Come June 2012, a highly significant event
will take place in Brazil. Under the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP), the World Congress on Justice, Governance and Law for Environmental
Sustainability (World Congress) will be organised to support the Rio +20, so
called because it will be held 20 years after the first Earth Summit in Rio in
1992.’

The World Congress will bring together
attorney-generals, prosecutors, auditor-generals, chief justices and senior
judges, as well as parliamentarians from around the world. They will deliberate
on a host of legal issues relating to environmental sustainability and
sustainable development. The outcome of the World Congress is potentially far
reaching. Countries take differing approaches to energy use and apply different
environmental standards. Understandably so, since the process is hostage to
individual commercial interests and is highly politicised.

But our environment is not just about
individual actions – it is about collective actions. The well-being and
sustainability of our Earth is in the collective interest of all nations. This
has long been recognised. The 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment in Stockholm formally declared that the environment, ‘the natural
and the man-made’ was ‘essential to the well being of mankind, to the enjoyment
of basic human rights, and to the right of life itself’.

The Earth Summit addressed the production of
toxic components, poisonous waste, alternative sources of energy to replace
fossil fuels, reduction of vehicle emissions, congestion, and the health
problems caused by polluted air and smog and the growing scarcity of water.
What followed was the establishment and execution of hundreds of multilateral
environmental agreements. But although ambitious in intent, these agreements
fell sadly well short when it came to implementation.One problem was that
countries lacked the capacity to deal with environmental issues. Without the
requisite skills or infrastructure, governance and law, attempts at reform and
enforcement for the benefit of an environmental cause are doomed to fail; there
will be more talk than action.

The need for the reform of international
environmental governance has been widely debated. There have also been broader
institutional reforms: The enhancement of the UNEP, establishing a new umbrella
organisation for sustainable development, reforming the United Nations Economic
and Social Council and the United Nations Commission on Sustainable
Development, enhancing institutional reforms and streamlining existing
structures.

But for full scale action at an international
level, we will need to start nationally. The wheel must first turn within
nations, each of which must play its own part in safeguarding the environment.
Only then can actions be coordinated across nations, and only then can there be
any hope for compliance with aspects of environmental law. Compliance is a key
element. Unless laws are subscribed to internationally, and enforced,
sustainable development will remain but a dream.

The upcoming World Congress in Brazil is
therefore one of the most crucial events for decades to come, if not for the
next century.

Source: www.uncsd2012.org