Pretoria - The outcome of COP17 is a historic achievement that will go a long way in furthering the global climate agenda, says the head of the South African COP17 delegation Edna Molewa.
Days after the conclusion of the climate change conference in Durban, Molewa - who is the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs - described the final outcome as "precedent setting," adding that it ranked with the 1997 conference at which the Kyoto Protocol was adopted.
In the dying hours of the conference, a comprehensive agreement was reached.
"This agreement not only significantly advances the global effort needed now to address the global climate change crisis; but also sets a new long-term pathway for the development of a fair, ambitious and legally binding future multi-lateral and rules-based global climate change system, which can balance climate and development imperatives," Molewa said.
The agreement also ensures the fair participation of all countries in the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions now and in the future.
The climate change conference was characterised by a new willingness by parties to move beyond entrenched negotiating positions.
COP17 also ensured the survival of the Kyoto Protocol through the decision to adopt the second commitment period, capturing legally binding commitments of the developed countries beyond the first commitment period expiration of 2012.
"Under the convention, we anchored emission reduction targets for developed countries that are not willing to be part of the Kyoto second commitment period, as well as emission mitigation actions of developing countries and were able to elaborate the transparency and accountability framework for both developed and developing countries," she said.
The Durban agreement also puts into operation a number of international mechanisms to enable and support mitigation and adaption efforts of developing countries, particularly efforts needed in the least developed, African and small island countries.
"Crucially, we have been able to preserve the multilateral rules-based system underpinning the mitigation regime by agreeing on a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, through an agreement to amend the Protocol, setting up a five-year second commitment period from 2013 to 2018," Molewa added.
It was noted that the USA had not joined the Kyoto Protocol and not all developed countries were prepared to place their commitments under the Protocol.
To address this gap, a process to increase transparency of mitigation efforts was established.
"In the case of developed countries, we will review and assess their economy-wide emission reduction targets and commitments. In the case of developing countries, we will increase the transparency of their nationally appropriate mitigation actions," she said.
With regards to finance, Molewa noted that there was an agreement on the detailed design of the Green Climate Fund.
Africa's priority of adapting to the impacts of climate change was also firmly placed on the global agenda.
Looking to the future, the Minister said COP17 reaffirmed a common vision for global cooperation on climate change to hold the increase in the global average temperature below two degrees or 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Molewa said forcing countries to do more than they were willing or able to was a recipe for failure, adding that the solution was to build a system that gradually transitions to a low carbon future and simultaneously creates jobs, reduces poverty and improves quality of life.
"Therefore, under the Convention, agreement was reached on the Durban platform, which initiates negotiations next year, leading to a legal instrument, protocol or agreed outcome with legal force applicable to all countries that will be adopted by 2015 and to be fully operational no later than 2020," she said.
