Parliament, Tuesday, 10 October 2017 – The Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs is encouraged by the information given by the Department of Environmental Affairs that a climate change legislation will be introduced in Parliament by 2018.
The Committee is happy to note that there is such a commitment which will ensure that South Africa as a country lives up to its commitments to the Paris Agreement and begins to implement climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies as part of the peak, plateau and decline trajectory. The Committee believes that a climate change legislation will assist in avoiding litigation cases and judgements such as the Thabametsi judgement against the department which is as a result of Earthlife, a non-governmental organisation that took the department to court for not considering climate change impacts of the proposed power station before granting an environmental authorisation.
The Committee is also encouraged by the fact that the department is developing a protocol to ensure that it complies with the court judgement.
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, MR PHILEMON MAPULANE
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Name: Ms Faith Kwaza
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8062
Cell: 081 377 0686
Email: fkwaza@parliament.gov.za
Arrange a tour