Deputy Chairperson, I don't take a question from Verwoerd. The EFF, with its manifesto, will progressively introduce carbon taxes as one additional tool in the fight for sustainable development. We know that the carbon tax policy was introduced in June 2019. South Africa is one of the highest emitters of carbon dioxide. Carbon tax is designed to make polluters pay and to meet
targets of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide.
Businesses and industries that produce carbon dioxide through their operations must put the people's health and the protection of the environment first, before profit. Too often the solutions are profit-driven. With regard to the independent power producers, IPPs, that are currently running, we do not object to renewable energy sources, but as the EFF, we object to private ownership, at the expense of public entities and the strategic capacity to deliver services to our poor people.
Afrikaans:
Dit is belangrik dat ons gefokus moet wees op die huidige krisisse ten opsigte van klimaatsverandering in die hele land. Ons moet dus almal saamspan, om seker te maak dat ons die nodige doen en seker maak dat ons die klimaatsverandering wat huidiglik plaasvind aanpak.
English:
In order to contribute to tackling climate change, the country has a dual responsibility to honour its international emission reduction commitments, and we therefore note that South Africa's carbon tax came into effect on 1 June 2019.
The EFF is the only party, through its 2019 manifesto, that sets out a 10% target for greenhouse gas emission reduction above the current national trajectory.
Climate change poses a significant threat to South Africa's water resources, food security, health, infrastructure and biodiversity. In a country where many people are poor and where levels of inequality are high, these effects of climate change are critical challenges to development.
The EFF will, through strengthened legislation, ensure that mining companies that have abandoned mines are forced to come back and rehabilitate denuded mining landscapes.
For the past years, mining-affected communities have had their land and environment polluted and degraded, leaving them with very few land use options once mining companies ceased to operate or scaled down its mining activities. Communities have been impacted negatively by those companies.
The EFF manifesto outlines how we will force the mining sector to go green through rehabilitating old mines. All mining companies will
pay for the rehabilitation of mines, which they have abandoned and for the draining of acid water.
South Africa is at a greater risk because of low levels of development and climate change adaptation efforts that aren't on the scale of developed countries.
Global agreements however will not be enough. It must be followed by strong actions on national, provincial and local levels. Managing the impacts of climate change effectively requires a response that builds and sustains the country's social, economic and environmental resilience.
Afrikaans:
Wetenskaplikes bestempel Afrika as een van die kwesbaarste vastelande vir klimaatsverandering. Die onlangse droogtes en ho temperature is n aanduiding dat Afrika-lande saam moet werk om te verhoed dat die gemiddelde temperatuur nie meer as 1,5C styg nie.
Uiteraard is daar rede om bekommerd te wees oor die grootskaalse besoedeling van lug, grond en water en die mens se invloed op die klimaat.
Dit is die armes wat die swaarste kry, omdat hulle van hul rykdom ontneem is en nou in plakkerskampe moet probeer oorleef. Hulle is die mense wat die juk dra van die klimaat- en brer ekologiese krissise.
English:
We must stand very firm in our position against global power bullying. We must make a clear statement that the United States of America cannot continue to work against everyone else, and in doing so compromising the efforts of everyone to deal with climate change. Thank you.