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Zuma pushes for green economy

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

Well done Mr President, well done sir!

Reports from the Green Economy Summit currently taking place in Sandton indicate that our government is willing to give its full support to green technologies and industries in response to climate change.

Yesterday President Jacob Zuma addressed over 650 delegates including special international guests, representatives of various civil organisations and businesses, as well as independent climate experts. Zuma said that climate change is one of the greatest sustainable development challenges of our time, and acknowledged the need to prioritise green practices:

“Through our actions, we need to respond to the notion that there is a trade-off to be made between faster economic growth and the preservation of our environment.”

The objective of the summit is to discuss and formulate a plan to develop a green economy so that South Africa can progress and develop sustainably, while managing and preserving our natural resources. Several other cabinet ministers also spoke, highlighting the different challenges and benefits of the process. The large potential for job creation and the need for a substantial increase in investment were two key observations.

What does this mean for us?

The developments at the Green Economic Summit look to be very encouraging! Government putting their weight behind the idea of a green economy could well lead to more coverage of environmental issues in the media, more interest from the business sector, and ultimately faster progress. Hopefully all this talk is followed through with meaningful action.

In his address, Minster of Economic Development Ebrahim Patel said South Africa needs to move beyond small scale green economy projects and look to integrating green practices and technologies at higher levels and in larger sectors.

This is not to say that us ordinary South Africans should abandon the green movement and hand the responsibility over to the big guys. Rather we should show our government that we support them in their plans, and hold them accountable if they are slack on delivery.

As individuals we can keep our lifestyles as clean and green as possible, and uplift smaller enviromental projects, like Optimal energy’s Joule, which are making a difference. Fighting climate change needs to be a collaborative effort, with proactive and synchronised approaches from all players at all levels.

What do you think of government’s call for a green economy?