Durban - The South African government is using this year's climate conference underway in Durban to demonstrate its green economy initiative that forms part of the country's new growth strategy.
Officials have launched what has been referred to as the Green Economy Accord, with Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel telling reporters on Tuesday that the agreement sought to create more than 300 000 jobs in the next decade.
Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe was among the first government leaders at COP17 to sign a pledge on the green economy in support of the initiative.
Predictions are that should South Africa, a leading emitter of carbon dioxide on the African continent, be able to capture 2% of the estimated global green economy market in the next five years, the country can expect to create up to 400 000 jobs in energy, manufacturing, agriculture, mining and other services.
One of the commitments in the pact, which has received the backing of the private sector and labour unions, is to install one million solar water heating systems across South Africa in the next three years.
An expo currently taking place at COP17 is being used to showcase the country's progress on solar water heating technology. One of the stands even provides for members of the public to make pledges to financially support access by poor households to solar heating systems.
Responding to questions, Patel insisted that South Africa was not being ambitious in its targets, citing countries like China who have made great strides in the green economy sector.
"We are convinced that with support and focus, our goals are achievable; because of its innovations and the decision they have made, China today has created more than one million jobs in the green economy and is one of the leading sectors in job creation so it can be done," he said.
COP17 was an opportunity for South Africa to share experience and to learn from the rest of the world on successful examples of using new technologies, Patel added.
He then referred reporters to details of the accord, which show government planned to procure more than 3 725 megawatts of renewable energy for the national grid by 2016.
That is more than the annual energy used by the entire City of Cape Town, which is the country's second largest city.
Patel said an agreement had been reached with the insurance industry to ensure that it promoted locally produced solar water heaters to replace the 200 000 damaged every year.
"So for us, that is an important step because a lot of geysers get damaged or burst every year so what we have agreed on with the industry is to replace those with locally manufactured solar geysers."
All parties, including business and government, will further promote the manufacturing and distribution of clean cooking stoves and heaters for the local and continental market.
The Industrial Development Corporation has already committed to provide R25 billion over the next five years for various initiatives linked to the green economy strategy.
