Date: 27/11/2011

Source: The Presidency

Title: SA: Motlanthe: Address by the Deputy President of South Africa, at the opening ceremony of the South Africa climate change response expo, Durban

Honourable Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Hon Zweli Mkhize
Mayor of Ethekwini Metro, Hon Nxumalo
Minister of Environmental Affairs, Ms Edna Molewa
Representatives of Civil Society and Community organisations
Business Leaders
Ladies and gentlemen
Your Excellencies
Distinguished guests
Fellow South Africans

Tomorrow, across the road at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre delegates from all corners of our globe will gather for the 17th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 17) and the 7th Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP7).

Equally, we are about to run the last lap in what has been a year of great uncertainty and skeptism not only about the subject of our gathering here today, but broadly in our economic and political lives, as a people and as a species

We have felt our global economies shake and we have seen governments change and get changed. We also have helplessly watched as the most devastating environmental disasters destroyed infrastructure, displaced communities and threatened livelihoods.

The world has been watching and waiting, hoping but confident, that Durban will deliver, a new global deal and multilateral compact to address the impacts and causes of climate change.

We have just heard children share memories of their future – and awoken us to the reality of the world they will inherit as a result of our actions. As global leaders begin the business of Conference and tomorrow, we must call upon them to give our children a future of certainty.

The children have spoken to us, representing voices of the future, and said all we need is the will to act boldly to address the challenges posed by climate change.

Honourable Premier, your province and this venue is no stranger to international events, so I am not surprised that today you break new ground and together with the City host the first ever Exhibition of its kind certainly setting a global trend.

This Expo is indeed a great showcase of what the human race can do, has done and should do, to fade the deeper scars caused on Mother Earth

This exhibition should be our Ubuntu village, a space for people and for everyone to demonstrate their ingenuity and determination to fight climate change – to show their care and demonstrate their conscience towards our air, sea and landscapes that feed us and protect us from our self-made perils

True to our “Alive with possibilities” spirit and the commitment to Play our Part , the people of South Africa see the threat of climate change as an opportunity to act now, work together and save tomorrow, today.

We see an opportunity for everyone to share and showcase their small actions with big impacts – This Expo is simply a blossoming of how such an opportunity can make climate change action, a business of our business.

The exhibition is a masterpiece through which we want the world to see our determination and share the work being done across the country in addressing the threat of climate change.

We must for the next two weeks make this a hive of activity to bring people, technology and nature together to showcase the type of innovation that will enable South Africa, Africa and the world to address social development and job creation in a low carbon economy.

While engineering solutions have provided us with great improvements in development and human well-being, they alone are unlikely to help us deal with climate change. Healthy intact ecosystems dependent on our rich biodiversity provide society with food, water, grazing and biomass – an important source of energy and building material.

This Expo will inspire and stimulate change and innovation which underline a coherent and effective climate change response for South Africa and beyond.

As we host the momentous climate change talks, this Expo is the main public space to learn, network and for the negotiators to reconnect with society through entertainment, performance, music, poetry and art amongst others.

May I once again congratulate all of you who have not only chosen to showcase your work here, but continue to make it your daily occupation to design, finance, and research new methods and solutions to the challenge of climate change.

I also wish to applaud, the various state departments, parastatals, emerging entrepreneurs, development agencies, the private sector who have not only exhibited here, but equally, have begun to reshape their way of delivering services, in a manner that proves that we need “Climate Action Now”.

I invite you to take a walk at this Climate Change Response Expo and be inspired by human innovation and climate smart solutions and ideas for our changing world.

I thank you.