SA carbon cuts 'unrealistic'

2009-09-16 07:57

Johannesburg - It was unrealistic for developing countries such as South Africa to commit to carbon emission targets, because of their economic status, said Environment Minister Buyelwa Sonjica on Tuesday.

Addressing the media in Kempton Park, Sonjica said the government would not sign any deal at the upcoming climate change conference committing itself to anything that would compromise the country's economic development chances.

"We know we are culprits in emitting carbon because we generate our energy from coal... [but] South Africa is a country with social and socio economic issues. A sizeable amount of our population is without electricity so you have to factor all those issues before you can move away from coal completely," she said.

While the country was committed to reducing its carbon footprint, it should also be taken into cognisance that developing countries like South African could not be put on the same scale as countries like the US.

Also, the international community had made provision for developing countries, therefore such countries had no set target like the developed ones.

"There International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) assessment report said while all of us have to take responsibility in casting the emission of gasses, our responsibility and capability are not the same," she said.

Sonjica was speaking ahead of the Copenhagen climate change talks in December.

- SAPA