South Africa as host to UNFCCC COP17/CMP7
2011/09/06

Since the first UNFCCC Conference of the Parties in 1995, the event has come to Africa only twice: to Marrakech, Morocco in 2001 and then to Nairobi, Kenya in 2006. Being an African COP, it is hoped that negotiations will be to the benefit of the African poor and marginalised communities in Africa, as these communities are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

This was emphasised during a press conference in April this year where South African Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, described South Africa as a country characterised by extreme poverty and underdevelopment with carbon emissions that are high relative to other developing countries. She continued:“... people in villages, our women, other vulnerable groups in rural and peri-urban areas contribute the least to climate change, but depend on the healthy state of the environment for their survival. Their experiences must find expression in this Conference of Parties  – an African COP. The youth of this country is the future beneficiaries of whatever state we would leave this planet in.”

Negotiations will pick up from COP16, held in Cancun, Mexico in December 2010 where for the first time, the states present officially recognised local governments as key government stakeholders in global efforts to combat climate change. Local governments hope to build on their progress at COP17 through presenting the concrete results of the carbonn Cities Climate Registry and the hundreds of members of the Mexico City Pact.

Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, stated during her speech at the Local Climate Solutions for Africa 2011 Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, this year: “It is our intention as host and president of COP 17 to continue to build on the Cancun Agreements. During 2011, the main discussion around the legal format and institutionalisation of the outcomes of the AWG-LCA (Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention) will remain the central point of the negotiations.”

South Africa looks forward to welcoming over 40,000 COP17 visitors. After hosting an exciting and highly successful international FIFA World CupTM in 2010, the country is confident of a successful COP17.

The City of Durban
As a socially and geographically diverse African city, the City of Durban represents most of the challenges that are faced by cities in the global south. This is one of many characteristics of the City that sets it as a fitting host for the upcoming COP17 – MOP7. Having created a framework for several climate change projects, focusing on adaptation and mitigation measures and socio-economic benefits, it has developed a Municipal Climate Protection Programme and has institutionalised climate change within the municipality. Durban’s intrepid response to the challenges of climate change and variability have positioned it as a global leader in the field of climate protection planning and established it as the ‘Climate Capital’ of South Africa.

Drawing from the Green Goal projects implemented during the 2010 FIFA World CupTM, the City of Durban has laid down plans to ensure a green COP17 – MOP7. Click on the following links to read more about Durban’s efforts in aiming for a cCarbon-neutral event, regarding Communication and Awareness, Carbon-Neutrality, Water Energy and Waste Management, Public Transport Systems and Green Procurement & Social Upliftment.

The Local Government Climate Roadmap
2001/09/08
The Local Government Climate Roadmap began at COP13 in Bali 2007, at the parallel Local Government Climate Sessions, as an advocacy journey. The Local Government Climate Roadmap aims to provide a voice for local authorities around the world, reflecting the United Nations Climate Change Conference Climate Roadmap to determine a global action plan towards a post-Kyoto framework on climate change for the period after 2012. Read more»

ICLEI Africa participated in World Water Day in Cape Town this year March, where Conservation International’s John Mathews commented on the upcoming COP, saying that Cancun was the first ‘Adaptation COP’ and that COP17 could become known as the Adaptation COP as well as the African Water COP.

Towards the UNFCCC COP 17 - CMP 7 2011 United Nations Conference on Climate Change

2011/09/08

The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) and the 7th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties (CMP 7) to the Kyoto Protocol will take place from 28 November to 9 December 2011 in the City of Durban, South Africa.

The UNFCCC is a treaty, thus far joined by most countries, to consider what action can be taken to reduce global warming and cope with impending temperature increases. The Kyoto Protocol was recently (February 2005) added to the treaty as a more legally binding measure to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Leaders from around the globe will once again convene at this annual event to discuss global climate matters, and negotiate political commitments in an effort to curb the effects of global warming. The event follows the UNFCCC COP 16 held in Cancun, Mexico, in December 2010, which resulted in a call for a large “Green Climate Fund” and a “Climate Technology Centre”.

With the Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment period coming to an end (2008 – 2012), a primary aim of the conference will be to secure a global climate agreement.

The Local Government Climate Roadmap began at COP13 in Bali 2007, at the parallel Local Government Climate Sessions, as an advocacy journey. The Local Government Climate Roadmap aims to provide a voice for local authorities around the world, reflecting the United Nations Climate Change Conference Climate Roadmap to determine a global action plan towards a post-Kyoto framework on climate change for the period after 2012. Read more»