SA launches climate change app
THE Department of Environmental Affairs has launched the South Africa Biennial Update Report Explorer app on the sidelines of the climate change talks in Katowice, Poland.
Developed in collaboration with the World Resources Institute, the Explorer is a resource for policymakers, business, researchers and civil society to view and download data on South Africa’s climate actions and goals for contributing to the international effort to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Paris Agreement.
The 24th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change ends today.
Launched at the event, the Biennial Update Report Explorer is part of South Africa’s Climate Change Response Monitoring and Evaluation System.
Deputy director-general for climate change, Dr Tsakani Ngomane, said this project to develop and manage the new app was aimed at strengthening domestic climate systems to track progress toward tackling climate change.
“It is an important tool supporting the realisation of South Africa’s Nationally Determined Contribution and Paris Agreement,” Ngomane said.
The National Climate Change Response Policy guides South Africa’s climate action as part of the broader global effort to mitigate and manage the effects of global warming and underpins the country’s commitment to the successful implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Pankaj Bhatia, deputy director of the institutee’s climate programme and director of GHG Protocol, said South Africa’s Biennial Update Report Explorer makes it easier than ever for policymakers, civil society and other stakeholders to gain an insight to the status of its climate change response.
“This platform is important for providing a common basis for reflecting on the progress made towards meeting national commitments; allowing leaders to understand if they’re on track and change course as needed.
“The platform strengthens the country’s continued efforts to empower all stakeholders with the necessary information to act on climate change with increasing ambition,” he said.
The Explorer will allow users to track South Africa’s GHG profile, covering historical GHG emissions and emission projections to 2050 and; allows for customisable views by sector, sub-sector and gas.
It allows users to search for, and compare, the mitigation effects and sustainable development co-benefits of policies, strategies and actions.
The Explorer allows users to track finance flows for climate change related activities in South Africa. This includes information on loans and grants for local government climate change adaptation projects, or non-financial support needed for activities such as testing of geological CO2 storage and the potential installation of carbon capture and storage systems at industrial facilities.
“The platform will be continuously updated to understand the country’s climate progress, and is a significant step forward in building South Africa’s capability and skills in areas of climate transparency,” Ngomane said.
Access the explorer at www.southafricaclimateexplorer.org
The platform is a significant step forward in building SA’s skills in areas of climate transparency
Dr Tsakani Ngomane
Deputy director-general for climate change