President Cyril Ramaphosa will this week attend the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Egypt, where South Africa will make a clear call for developed economy countries to support developing ones meet their climate change obligations.

Ramaphosa wrote in his weekly letter to the nation that seven years since the Paris Agreement was adopted at COP21, countries with developed economies have largely failed to honour their commitments to provide substantial financial support for climate actions in developing economies.

“Africa historically bears the least responsibility for climate change, but it is Africa that is feeling its effects most,” he pointed out.

Ramaphosa said South Africa will chair a high-level roundtable on the just transition at COP27, and will be going into the conference in a strong position with the recent adoption of the Just Transition Framework and the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan, which is out for public comment.

“Although South Africa is playing its part in the global climate change effort, we have been consistent in emphasising our right to development. We must ensure that the transition to a low-carbon, climate change resilient economy does not jeopardise our developmental goals. The move from fossil fuels to greener, cleaner energy sources cannot take place at the expense of economic growth and job creation,” said Ramaphosa.

At the conference, South Africa will highlight the need for multilateral financial institutions to lower the borrowing costs for developing economies to fund their climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.

“Many people may think that the discussions taking place in Egypt at COP27 are far-removed from their everyday lives. This is far from the case. We all have a clear stake and an abiding interest in the outcomes of COP27,” Ramaphosa stated.

He pointed to climate change activity that recently plagued South Africa, such as economically distressing floods, wildfires and a locust plague and stressed that these events had a strong likelihood of reoccurring.

He urged developed countries to meet their climate change obligations, which he said would help developing countries, such as South Africa, build the resilience needed to protect their respective economies.

“It is only with significant additional funding that we can ensure that future generations of South Africans live in an environment that is clean, conducive to health and well-being, and that has not been destroyed because of the inaction of today’s leaders,” said Ramaphosa.