AFP: S.Africa must lead efforts to avert climate change: EU

AFP: S.Africa must lead efforts to avert climate change: EU: "S.Africa must lead efforts to avert climate change: EU

(AFP) – 2 days ago

KLEINMOND, South Africa — The EU on Friday urged South Africa to lead emerging powers such as China and India to commit to cutting carbon emissions, as world leaders grapple ambitious targets on global warming.

Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt on Friday opened a summit with South Africa emphasising 'the great importance of the role of South Africa in this issue ... for the rest of Africa but also for the rest of big emerging countries.'

'It (climate change) is man-made but it can also be thwarted by man by a different way of living. Everybody is affected. Already in Africa we can see the impact of climate change,' said Reinfeldt whose country is the current holder of the revolving European Union presidency.

The debate over who should bear the brunt of the responsibility to cut carbon emissions is a major sticking point in the lead-up to the Copenhagen climate summit in December which hopes to thrash out a new climate treaty.

Coal-reliant South Africa on Thursday said it was unrealistic to expect developing nations to set targets for cutting harmful carbon emissions as this would hamper economic growth.

"We think it is unrealistic for us at this stage to set targets. Setting targets now would definitely hamper growth. Developed nations in our view have a much greater responsibility of reducing their emissions," government spokesman Themba Maseko told journalists after a cabinet meeting.

Reinfeldt said the EU would like to see developed nations reduce emissions by 25 to 40 percent from 1999 levels, and developing nations cut 30 percent from current levels.

South Africa relies heavily on coal for its energy requirements, and power giant Eskom is embarking on an ambitious project to build more power stations to fuel the country's growing but energy-strapped economy.

Widespread blackouts last year and regular load-shedding revealed an energy crisis as ailing infrastructure failed to keep pace with growth.

The continental powerhouse is among the world's worst offenders in terms of gas emissions and joins nations such as India and China in pushing for wealthy, industrialised nations to lead the drive in cutting emissions.

Copenhagen is tasked with finding a successor to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol which the United States rejected saying its targets would wreck its economy.

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