By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Despite the huge backlash against seismic surveys in South Africa’s waters, the government will continue to support the development of the upstream gas industry because it “holds huge potential for job creation and broader economic development,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said during his State of the Nation address (Sona) on Thursday.
“We will ensure this is done in strict accordance with the environmental and other laws of our country,” he said. “Where there are differences in oil and gas development we will ensure that we work together to resolve them in the interest of our country and its people.”
But Greenpeace Africa climate and energy campaigner Nhlanhla Sibisi said Ramaphosa “must let go of any fantasies” that gas power will light South Africa’s future.
“Gas will only lock South Africa into a high emissions trajectory and derail our commitments under the Paris Agreement,” she said.
Ramaphosa said, South Africa is located in one of the regions of the world most affected by climate change. “We frequently experience droughts, floods and other extreme weather events associated with global warming,” he said, adding how, in recent weeks, flooding had affected several provinces, including KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.
“For the first time, our climate targets are compatible with limiting warming to 1.5°C. This is the goal that all countries agreed to as part of the Paris Climate Agreement and is essential to prevent the worst effects of climate change,” the president said.
In response, however, Sibisi said that Ramaphosa was wrong in saying that South Africa’s climate commitments were ambitious enough. “While South Africa’s nationally determined contributions have improved, they are still insufficient. Rather, they are in line with a future where average global temperatures have increased by 2°C, a scenario not compatible with human survival.”