Durban - The green economy path is not just about low carbon emissions; it is also about the reduction of resource usage, waste and valuing the ecosystem goods and services.
Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa made this point while addressing the BMW Group Sustainable Future Conference on Tuesday night.
She said government could not meet emission targets alone and needed to work with the private sector.
"The science is clear that action to address the causes and impacts of climate change by a single country or small group of countries will not be successful, hence we support all the efforts that promote multilateral efforts to arrest this increase in temperatures," Molewa said.
Government's climate change policy recognises that in the medium-term, some of the options with the biggest mitigation potential include shifting to lower-carbon electricity generation alternatives.
"Lower-carbon products and services and the creation of green jobs, business and industry have a fundamental role in South Africa's climate change response," said Molewa.
She was encouraged by efforts of private sector organisations, like the work done by BMW, to scale up levels of investments that contribute towards transitioning to low carbon development.
"As government, we also must commend BMW for having decided some time ago that the BMW Group needs to keep a firm hand on its consumption of energy, as well as the impact that consumption has on the environment," said Molewa.
Government also recognised the importance of private sector funding in achieving national climate change response actions and Molewa said they would work with the financial sector to explore the most appropriate mechanisms to achieve efficient funding flows.
"Government will also continue to encourage voluntary reporting initiatives established and maintained by a variety of organised business associations," she added.
