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Today at 12.00 Speaker of South Africa’s National Assembly, Mr Max Sisulu met with Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon during the COP17 climate change conference that is currently underway in Durban.

In the meeting Mr Sisulu discussed the important role that legislatures can play in climate change.

“South African Parliamentarians have been hard at work in lobbying and advocacy activities at COP17.

“On Africa, South African Parliamentarians reiterate the continent’s common position on climate change,” said Mr Sisulu.

He reiterated Parliamentarians’ call for the Parties engaged in the negotiations around dealing with climate change to, among others:
• Implement the Bali Action Plan and Cancun Agreement;
• Commit to a second period of the Kyoto Protocol;
• Uphold the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities the fundamental basis of any agreed action to address climate change, and
• Swiftly operationalise financial resources and transfer of technology as pledged in Cancun. Parliamentarians expressed concern about the slugging contributions of developed countries to the Green Climate Fund.

These are also contained in the IPU Declaration as agreed to in a meeting that was held at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Monday.

Mr Sisulu re-affirmed the position that Parliaments should be granted an appropriate status at the UNFCCC negotiation process and be included in the collective to provide leadership – although the legislators acknowledge the separation of powers and that they were not part of the negotiators.