Layman’s View
Andrew Layman
It’s a measure of COP-fatigue, perhaps, that the Monday morning news was dominated, not by the outcome of the great conference, but the imminent execution of a South African woman in China.
Over two weeks we had become accustomed to headlines related to the UN’s 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) climate change talks, not that these necessarily kept us well informed as to the complexities of the negotiations.
These matters considered, the fact that more than 190 countries were able to reach any sort of agreement at all is a huge tribute to the stamina and persistence of the delegates. It must be the height of naiveté for anyone to have believed that such an agreement would not be characterised by compromise.
At the risk of being charged with heresy, I admit to being little concerned as to whether the delegates left Durban with or without a neatly signed agreement.
What is committed to in writing and endorsed by signature thought is less important in my view than the actions and processes that are in place to achieve the desired end.
As a forum in which technologies and green practices were shared among so many global nations, as well as individuals in whose hands the rescue mission resides, the summit was an eye-opener. There is no doubt that considerable green momentum has been built as governments and industry direct their efforts towards mitigation and adaptation.
The “pariahs” of the conference, the US and China, are among those in the forefront of green technology, and, to the amazement of many perhaps, have shown themselves by their actions to be as committed to the cause as many other countries which, however, were not as loath to sign. I believe that China has already declared the closure of a number of coal-fired power stations, which exceeds the total number of such Eskom beasts in our own country. At the very heart of the complexities facing the nations this year has been the apportionment of blame.
The developed countries have brought the globe to its perilous position; developing giants such as China and India are not yet ready to abandon the traditional industrial fuels, while the rest of the developing world is expected to make sacrifices even before it has industrialised.
What niggles is why this should be considered a “sacrifice”. Over time, a hierarchy has developed. The natural order of things is that “black” development precedes green, the latter being a higher level of achievement than the former. This hierarchy is also reflected in cost.
Everything points to the reality of green energy being more costly than black. This is why developing countries need to be supported by the Green Climate Fund – they cannot afford to go green without it.
Is it valid that green forms of energy should be more expensive, or is it some kind of grand-scale manipulation of the market which we accept because of the hierarchical character to which I have referred?
Sceptics have highlighted the apparent desires of “black” billionaires to delay the adoption of new forms of energy until they have been able to exploit fully, before exhaustion, the profitability of oil and coal. I am not inclined to believe in conspiracy theories, but I do recognise that the human race is not immune from being manipulated by its own adherence to established norms and practices.
If green energy was cheaper, international agreements and global funds would not be required. Migration from one source to another would not be a matter of “if” but “when”.
Developing countries in Africa, for example, would be able to go green immediately, bypassing completely the black phase which hitherto has reflected the industrialisation of the world.
All this aside, we should take pride in the manner in which our city, and our country, managed this awesome responsibility. Our government emerged with credit, while the city performed as a seasoned host of mammoth events.
There were many reports of delegates’ praises for organisational excellence and hospitality. And to top this, there is no doubt that the world is working hard at mitigation and adaptation.
l Andrew Layman, the CEO of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, can be telephoned at 031 335 1000, or you can e-mail him at andrewlayman@durbanchamber.co.za or log on to www.durbanchamber.co.za.
