http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=136065

EU criticises SA’s preparations to host the UN climate change conference

BRUSSELS — SA’s preparations to host the United Nations (UN) climate change conference in Durban in November were heavily criticised yesterday by the European Union (EU).
Judith Sargentini, a Dutch former anti-apartheid activist now responsible for fostering SA-EU bilateral relations, said SA had neither the capacity nor the strategy to secure a deal on climate change as hosts of the UN conference.
SA is under pressure to ensure agreement on the future of the Kyoto Protocol commitment period, the first phase of which ends next year. It hopes to build on progress made at last year’s climate change talks in Mexico .
Ms Sargentini was in SA last month as part of an EU parliamentary delegation to assess preparations for the Durban conference. The EU delegation met Environment Minister Edna Molewa and International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to be informed about progress.
"There’s no strategy in place by minister Molewa to show that SA will have the capacity to rally all the countries to agree to an acceptable document," Ms Sargentini said.
"I don’t think SA will be able to clinch the deal on climate change as the lead convener of the conference does not have a convincing plan in place. Sadly, this conference will be another talk shop."
Ms Sargentini said she was surprised SA volunteered to host the conference when officials knew the country did not have the technical capacity to conclude a universally enforceable agreement.
It was also not clear if the Department of Environmental Affairs could fill vacant posts for experts to assist with preparations for the conference. In some cases, the government could take up to six months to fill a position.
President Jacob Zuma — on a two-day visit to France — will share notes with his French counterpart on preparations for the conference. France is a proponent of a legally enforceable universal declaration to mitigate climate change. Mr Zuma chaired a UN preparatory conference in Cape Town last month that brought together climate change negotiators from major gas emitters.