President Cyril Ramaphosa at the sidelines of the ongoing COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt has called for the speedy implementation of international climate agreements.
The South Africa President, in a press conference after delivering South Africa’s national statement, called for the implementation of international climate agreements and pledges.
President Ramaphosa said South Africa attended COP27 to table a number of messages before global leaders on climate issues.
He said key among the South African agenda is the need for the country to secure maximum ambition in terms of climate action and debate on the universal need to go beyond just merely talking but acting on climate action.
“We call on our partners from developed economies to honour their commitments in providing support to developing economies like South Africa and a number of them in southern Africa other parts of the world”.
“We are also here at COP27 to build on progress on the importance of just transitions in Glasgow and also advance discussions on the special needs and circumstances of countries in Africa,” said President Ramaphosa.
Earlier in his South African national statement, Cyril Ramaphosa told heads of state and foreign dignitaries that the world needs a dramatic increase in global mitigation ambition to keep the world on the 1.5-degree pathway for the sake of the African continent and the world.
The South African President noted that Africa like other vulnerable regions, needs to build adaptive capacity, foster resilience and address loss and damage, as agreed at COP21 in Paris.
He pointed out that the continent needs a “predictable, appropriate and at-scale funding stream and technological support” that promote Africa’s right to development, international equity and just and inclusive transitions.
This the president said places crucial responsibility on the developed world to honour commitments to countries that confront the greatest environmental, social and economic effects of climate change.
“Global emphasis must be on the health and well-being, food and water security of the most vulnerable”.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa, at the national level is fully committed to achieving the most ambitious end of the mitigation range in the country’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution.
