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Flooding washed away traffic circle in Umdloti North of Duraban. Photo: Rosetta Msimang/City Press
The ANC proposed the establishment of a parliamentary ad hoc climate change committee in response to the recent floods that devastated parts of KwaZulu–Natal as well as the Eastern Cape.
The party’s drafting committee for policy and national conference will be ensuring that the issue is integrated into its discussion papers.
This is according to a 10-page report from the party’s special national executive committee (NEC) meeting, which took place last week.
The forestry and fisheries and the environment parliamentary portfolio committee currently focuses on nine different branches. A separate committee, focusing on climate change, would be less burdensome for the department. It would also allow for greater focus on this matter. 43 bridges have been damaged, which will add to the backlog.
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The flooding that decimated homes and infrastructure in two provinces is thought to have been caused primarily by climate change. Therefore, more efforts are needed to address this issue.
“The real cost of the current disaster is still being calculated, coming so soon after another flood disaster in 2019. It is clear that these extreme weather conditions are affecting our country more frequently, highlighting the need for urgent attention to building climate change resilience and mitigation as central to our strategy of a better life for all,” the report reads.
It also explored other ways of easing the situation, stating that there were “humanitarian challenges” in assisting communities who had been devastated by the floods.
“The floods destroyed homes and infrastructure (especially) roads, disrupted services (water, electricity, communication) and economic activities in the province. Due to its strategic importance in both imports-exports, the Durban port and logistics will be impacted across the country.
READ: Government prioritizes women and persons with disabilities affected the KZN floods
“In addition to regular reports from KwaZulu-Natal, once attention was drawn to the floods also affecting Port St Johns, the Eastern Cape was asked to brief the committee, along with the mayor of Port St Johns. Humanitarian donations collected in the Eastern Cape have been redirected to Port St Johns and the provincial government is engaging with the cooperative governance department on support,” according to the report.
The document also included a reflection on the Western Cape fires which destroyed more than 300 Langa shacks, displacing more than 1300 people.
The ruling party indicated that it would be sending NEC deploymentes to the region, while district model champions had been appointed to assist the province in dealing with the situation.
“The city [Cape Town]It insists that it will not seek to declare a disaster, possibly because it can manage.
The report said:
During the first two nights, however, people slept in the open without any provision for public facilities or halls. Some temporary relief packages have been provided by Gift of the Givers, and other community organisations. The ANC in the Province has been working in partnership with the Anglican Cape Town Diocese as well as other non-governmental organizations to assist the community.
Barbara Creecy, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, stated that there are many other ways government can mitigate climate change and emphasized the impact it has on poor communities.
“All research shows that people living in poverty will be most affected by climate change. What we need to do is make sure that people have knowledge of what it’s about,” she said.
Barbara Creecy, Minister for Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, mentions the introduction carbon tax.
Creecy stated:
Daniel Mminele was appointed president [head of the newly established presidential climate finance task team] to investigate what they’re offering, the terms and conditions and how we could utilise [the money]Without making our sovereign default crisis worse. “And then Treasury has introduced a carbon tax, saying that it would increase in the next few years.
Comments were invited on the Climate Change Bill this week.
The bill aims to facilitate the development of a climate change response and a long term, just transition to a low carbon and climate-resilient society and economy.
It also provides for the establishment of the Presidential Climate Commission, where different sectors of society – organised labour, civil society, business and government ministers – will advise on the country’s climate change response.
The function of this commission includes offering advice on the country’s implementation of the proposed bill.
READ: Climate change: Government is accused of not doing enough to address the issue
The commission could also conduct research on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change.
Creecy explained that while all these initiatives are intended to benefit society, the real challenge is ensuring that enough money is allocated to allow the plans and strategies to be implemented.
READ: Flood victims call for transparency by government on relief efforts
She said that this might not be possible because South Africa is a developing country, and other departments would need the money.
South Africa was offered $8.5 million (R134 billion) by the US and European powers at last year’s UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. Creecy indicated that the government was still considering.
“The president has appointed Daniel Mminele [head of the newly established presidential climate finance task team] to investigate what they’re offering, the terms and conditions and how we could utilise [the money]Moreover, it won’t make our sovereign debt crisis worse.
“And then Treasury has introduced a carbon tax, saying that it would increase in the next few years,” she added.
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