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N Cape to be hardest hit by climate change

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The Northern Cape will be the province hardest hit by climate change, if policy makers fail to make the necessary changes now. This has emerged during the Draft Climate Change Bill consultation workshop in Kimberley.

Irregular rainfall patterns and drought which has plagued the Northern Cape for five-years are among the issues that are putting pressure on government to finalise the Climate Change Bill.

“The bill gives the minister the powers to ensure that companies will have to comply with the emission targets failure of which they will be liable to a fine of approximately R10-million. It will further give the minister the power to further more be able to set the targets in terms of what are the targets that we have to pursue as a country collectively,” says Department of Environmental Affairs Chief Director, Tlou Ramaru explaining the penalties the bill will impose on companies guilty of excessive carbon dioxide emissions.

Drought has gripped some parts of the country – leaving government no choice but to declare the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape as disaster areas.

“We have five years of shall we say well below average rainfall and in some areas we have scientists looking at that. There has been scrubs dying, scrubs that are supposed to feed sheep, therefore  there is an underlying agricultural aspect to that,” says South African Observation Network – Arid Lands Manager, Dr John Henschel.

Those working with communities like non-profit organisation Live Love Believe’s, Tshegohatso Chifokoyo, say poor communities must be considered when dealing with climate change.

“Climate change touches on the human element to how you approach it, because you might end up insulting people when you say don’t cut down trees it causes deforestation. One lady said me she collects firewood for cooking and warming up water. This is a sensitive issue when it comes to the poor people.”

Similar consultations have already taken place in three provinces and will continue in Limpopo and the Western Cape next week. Written submissions on the Bill will close on 08 August.

 

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