2014 National Climate Change Response Dialogue
Introduction and background
The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), in collaboration with the Inter-Governmental Committee on Climate Change (IGCCC) is organizing a four day national dialogue and conference on South Africa’s National Climate Change Response, focusing on implementation. The title of the conference is: “South Africa is transitioning to a lower carbon and climate resilient economy and society.
The conference took place at Gallagher Convention Centre, in the period 10 – 13 November 2014.
The 2014 National Climate Change Response Dialogue and Conference is preceded by progress over a period of 10 years in which South Africans participated in:
- A National Conference in 2005 to discuss the potential impact of climate change in South Africa, and to secure a mandate for the development of a national climate change response policy;
- A National Climate Change Summit and Science conference in 2009, to review the latest international and national climate science, and develop the framework for a national climate change response policy
- A National Green Economy Summit in 2010, to build a national consensus on South Africa’s green economy path
- The preparatory process and South Africa’s hosting of the 17th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Durban in December 2011
- The discussion, and finalisation of South Africa’s National Climate Change Response Policy in 2011
The conference will be hosted in partnership with key national departments, and in co-ordination with the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Regional Outreach Event on the 5th Assessment Report. The three IPCC Working Groupss are: (a) Working Group I: The Physical Science Basis (b) Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability and, (c) Working Group III: Mitigation of Climate Change.
Conference objectives
The overarching vision of the National Climate Change Dialogue is to further develop South Africa’s lower carbon economy and improve its climate resilience. A common understanding between participants will be developed by presenting South Africa’s climate-related progress since the Durban Platform. The regional outreach by the International Panel of Climate Change is scheduled for the first day. Presentations by IPCC chapter leads regarding the recently published findings of the latest climate change science of the IPCC 5th Assessment Report will provide the foundation for the national dialogue.
The conference will provide a dynamic and vibrant space for demonstrating that South Africa is a country in transition to a lower carbon and climate resilient economy. It will provide an opportunity to facilitate discussion and engagement on a number of inter-connected themes that bring scientists, policy-makers and practitioners together to debate topical issues, share innovations and demonstrate best practice.
The dialogue will be held on a series of in-depth focused session as presented in the diagram below:
The specific objectives are:
- To facilitate an open dialogue reflecting on the current status and major challenges on the way to a lower-carbon and resilient society.
- To reinforce a common vision towards a systemic approach of transformation
- To strengthen the roadmap for implementation & reaching scale
- To strengthen SA’s position in the international negotiation process in Lima in December 2014, towards conclusion of a new global agreement in Paris 2015
The Conference sessions
Presentations
Exhibition/ Open Dialogue Space on all four days
- Funding and Investment in Climate Change Response
- Ecosystem based Adaptation
- Climate Change and Local Government
- Climate Change Response Flagships
On the second day of the conference, 11th November 2014, we are opening the dialogue space and invite you and the broader public to join us for an interactive networking session. From 16h45 -19h00 we are inviting you to participate in the sharing and networking session focusing on Climate Technology and Innovation. This session intends to bring various practitioners and perspectives together to jointly discuss the role and current development of climate technology and innovation on our transition.
On the third day of the conference, 12th November 2014, we are inviting you to participate in the sharing and networking session focusing Green Skills and South Africa’s youth (16h45 -19h00). This session intends to bring various practitioners as well as young people together to exchange on their experience and discuss future opportunities in the green skills sector.
The open dialogue space is run throughout the conference from the 10th - 13th of November 2014 from 9h00 - 18h00 (the setup of the stands till therefore have to be on Sunday the 9th of November).