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force under the Conventon
applicable to all Partes.
In the same year South Africa
developed a Climate Change
Response White Paper,
marking the beginning of the
development of strategies
to address adaptaton and
mitgaton, as well as the
establishment of monitoring
and evaluaton processes.
This White Paper presents the
South African Government’s
vision for an efectve climate
change response and the
long-term, just transiton to a
climate-resilient and lower- all Partes to initate or intensify domestc
carbon economy and society.
Implementaton
In November 2014, the
Department of Environmental
Afairs organised a Natonal
Climate Change Response
Dialogue. The Dialogue
consolidated South Africa’s
vision and common purpose
for an efectve climate change
response and a just transiton
to a climate resilient and low
carbon economy and society.
It provided an opportunity
to celebrate progress, and
refect on the achievements
South Africa’s Minister of Environmental Afairs Edna Molewa and Ban Ki-moon. Photo © UN photos
rtcc respoNd
since 2011. Against the backdrop of the 5th South Africa’s commitment to addressing the
Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental challenge of climate change is based on science
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The Dialogue and equity and its natonal response considers
further strengthened South Africa’s positon both development and climate change. South
in the internatonal arena with regards to Africa is actng in response of the fndings of
preparaton towards the Paris 2015 negotatons. the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) that warming of the climate system is
This was also a platorm to initate a broader unequivocal, and understanding that further
public consultaton on South Africa’s Intended mitgaton eforts by all are needed to avoid
Natonally Determined Contributons that high to very high risk of severe, widespread and
should be submited before COP21 in Paris in irreversible impacts globally.
December 2015.
Peak and decline
south africa’s indC In this context, South Africa submits its
The Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban
Platorm for Enhanced Acton (ADP) at the intended natonally determined contributon
(INDC) on adaptaton, mitgaton and support
2013 UN summit in Warsaw (COP 19) decided for both. South Africa’s contributon to the
in decision 1/CP.19 paragraph 2 (b) to invite collectve challenge is framed by both its
Natonal Development Plan (NPC 2012) and
preparatons for their intended natonally
determined contributons (INDC). its Natonal Climate Change Response White
Paper that reafrm SA’s “peak, plateau and
This was to be without prejudice to the legal decline” emissions trajectory for mitgaton
nature of the contributons, in the context of and adaptaton needs in the context of agreed
adoptng a protocol, another legal instrument temperature goal that does not lead to
or an agreed outcome with legal force under dangerous anthropogenic interference.
the Conventon applicable to all Partes towards Under mitgaton South Africa reiterates that
achieving the objectve of the Conventon as it will take natonally appropriate mitgaton
set out in its Artcle 2 and to communicate
them well in advance of the twenty-frst session to enable a 34% deviaton below the ‘Business
As Usual’ emissions growth trajectory by 2020
of the Conference of the Partes (by the frst and a 42% deviaton below the ‘Business As
quarter of 2015 by those Partes ready to do Usual’ emissions growth trajectory by 2025.
so) in a manner that facilitates the clarity, The acton will be implemented depends on the
transparency and understanding of the intended
contributons, without prejudice to the legal provision of fnancial resources, the transfer of
nature of the contributons. technology and capacity building support by
developed countries.
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