Article Information

• Original article: The Times
• Published: 11 September 2009
• Tags: Jacob Zuma

The co-chairmen of the European Union/South African summit meeting held here on Friday spent some time circling each other over the issue of climate change, without fully engaging.

The prime minister of Sweden, Fredrik Reinfeldt, who is the current president of Europe, actually praised South Africa's stance, but spoke of the necessity for the Copenhagen summit on the UN framework in December to agree on a two-degree reduction in temperature by 2020.

He said that Europe has already agreed to cut emissions by 20% by that year, and is looking forward to cutting to 30% of 1990 levels later. He suggested that South Africa emission cuts should be in the region of 25 to 40%.

President Jacob Zuma sitting opposite him did not mention this week's decision of his cabinet to refuse any emission cuts that will damage economic growth in this country, and instead declared: "We must do everything we can to find each other on the critical issues that face us."

He told the summit meeting: "No matter where they are, all humanity breathes the same air drinks the same water and relies on the same earth for sustenance."

He added: "We are all affected by climate change, and we all have a responsibility to tackle its causes and manage its effects."

Turning to discussions of the global economic crisis Zuma declared that as they two sides prepare for the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh next month they should seek common ground, even though each region is affected in different ways.

Reinfeldt referred to proposals that will be before the Pittsburgh summit to regulate bonuses and excessive risk taking.

He also suggested that there needs to be discussion of exit strategies from the huge spending plans undertaken by many countries to buy their way out of the crisis and the huge deficits that have piled up as a result.

"They must not be withdrawn too fast," he said.

The Swedish leader also spoke of the need to reform and balance the international institutions governing the world's finances.

By Michael Hamlyn, I-Net Bridge



Read the full article ->