COP29: Dion George calls for more funding for developing nations

Forestry, fisheries and the environment minister Dion George assured the Ministerial Roundtable on Global Climate Transparency at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Monday that SA will fulfil its climate change commitments and be transparent in how any funds are spent.

He, however, expressed frustration over the lack of adequate support for developing nations. “Developing economy countries have still not received sufficient financial, technical, and capacity-building assistance,” he said.

“I call on developed economy countries to provide this financial support, more in the form of grants and concessional loans. Transitioning from coal will be costly for all of us but we are committed to doing our fair share to achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement.”

SA has been promised $8.5bn in climate financing, which will be allocated in tranches. The funding mix will include loans, grants and concessional loans (loans with more favourable terms than regular ones.) Still, George earlier pointed out the country needed much more to achieve a meaningful green transition.

“We would also like to call for more technology transfer and development into SA to help us with our transition to a lower carbon and climate resilient economy,” he urged.

George, who joined the SA delegation in Baku on Saturday, also reaffirmed SA’s commitment to the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF). This framework is a key part of the Paris Agreement, ensuring countries report consistently on their climate actions, such as cutting emissions and adapting to climate change, while tracking international support like financial aid.

“SA has been at the forefront of contributing to the operation of the ETF,” he highlighted.

Now, the country is preparing to submit its first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) and fourth National Communication by December 2024. These reports will outline the country’s climate progress.

“In our 1st BTR, which my team here and back home is currently working hard at, we will track the first two years of implementing the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), that is from the 1st of January 2021 to the 31st of December 2022.

“As you know, SA’s NDC has both the 2025 and 2030 targets, and we’ll be tracking both in our BTRs,” he explained, adding the country’s ambitious plans will aim to keep emissions within specific ranges by these deadlines.

The minister listed key policies and legislation guiding these targets, such as the Integrated Energy Plan, Carbon Budgets, Just Transition Framework and the newly signed but not yet operational Climate Change Act, which he called “the key legislative instrument to enforce climate change action”.

“Furthermore, we will be reporting on progress in implementing the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, demonstrating our key vulnerable sectors in water, agriculture, health, biodiversity, infrastructure as well as human settlements and demonstrating what is needed to build resilience and adaptive capacity on those sectors,” George said.

“We will also report on the systems we have put in place to monitor and evaluate progress as well some of the losses and damages we have suffered as a result of climate change.”

The BTR will also include the flow of finances from the period January 1 2021 to December 31 2022, he says.

“We are committed to submitting the BTR by December 2024, and every two years thereafter. We shall deliver,” George said.