Verbal submission to the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs, by T.M. (Terry) Bengis
15th November 2011
Almost two years ago to the day I came to this House to make a submission at what was then called the Climate Change Hearings. In the succeeding two years a Green Paper was produced, on which I commented in March of this year and emanating from that, this White Paper, the subject of these hearings.
In my submission of 2009 I quoted from a modern day philosopher Theodore Adorno (1903-1969): “The conversion of all questions of truth into questions of power…. has attacked the very heart of the distinction between true and false.”
This White Paper reflects a dilemma in which the party in Government finds itself, in that it seeks to be all things to all people, and tries, unsuccessfully to deal competently with all the issues. I was clear in my previous submissions, that I didn’t come here as either a Lawyer or Scientist to give you new words or ideas, but to highlight areas where we can improve for the benefit of our citizens and by so doing improve their lives as we move forward through this 21st, the most critical Century in the history of mankind.
Climate Change is a direct result of the emission of so called Green House Gasses, we here in South Africa have been blessed with mineral wealth that over the centuries and through difficult periods proved to be the buffer that protected those, that through legislation could not speak for themselves. Since gaining our precious freedom and democracy we unfortunately have not shouldered the responsibility of caring for our fellow beings by making sure that what we emit into our skies is acceptable and will help to reverse the damage already done, instead we have charged forward with new endeavour and industry and have not stopped to check whether or not the effects on our children, grandchildren and their progeny are what we would want for ourselves, we have sought to ameliorate this through that popular but hackneyed pair of words: “Job Creation” as epitomised by presentations made here by organised industry and in particular SASOL these last days and weeks.
SASOL and the Chamber of Mines during their presentations complained that the Department of Environmental Affairs have reneged on agreements regarding caps and limits of noxious emissions, trying to convince those who will listen that somehow they control what can be emitted and by extension Climate Change, thinking that if we could, on paper anyway, demonstrate that X number of direct and Y number of indirect jobs will be created, somehow, the effects of these endeavours will not be as bad as if we were just honest. We have sought to protect the unprotectable and in so doing have added to the problem. Yet if we all took a step back, took a deep breath and objectively looked at what this land has given us to work with, and then worked with it, we would be well on our way to making the kind of contribution that a country that carries the moniker: the Rainbow Nation, should.
In Germany, where sunshine is a rare and precious commodity, there are more solar panels than here in South Africa, the country that has the most abundant and direct sunlight of any nation, particularly on the Highveld, Port Elizabeth is known as the Windy City, yet when I pass through, there is only one Wind Turbine.On a recent visit to a high tech computer company in Northern Italy I was shown proudly how all 150 computers and a very large server were powered by the sun through a bank of solar panels on the roof, in fact the whole building was OFF GRID, in Northern Italy, not known for its beaches! Yet here in South Africa there is no legislation forcing new construction to include solar energy as part of that construction, if ESKOM were to lead that particular charge and run the solar industry as a registered CDM project the resultant cash flow received, could alleviate the burden placed on it by that company’s poor management and decision making over these last years. This highlights what little progress South Africa has made in embracing the opportunities offered through a CDM program in terms of FDI and the resultant real job creation, by creating a Green Industry through an already in place system. The notion that South Africa should investigate the possibility of its own Carbon Trading Market is ridiculous given that the CDM already exists and that there are already companies trading in this market in South Africa, with success I might add. Minister Ebrahim Patel in his submission to the Portfolio Committee for Economic Development, last week, claimed that a speedy transition to sustainable energy generation would destabilise the economy, unfortunately, rhetoric of this nature misleads and has no place in times where the overarching issue is Climate Change and its effects, we have to look in the long term and the decision has to be made to make that transition, not to play to an audience. The question should not be how to extend the life of coal but how not to.
This of course leads us in to the role ESKOM plays in our emission situation and when partnered with that other serial polluter SASOL, we have 52% of the noxious emissions in South Africa and certainly the largest source of pollution on the continent, yet these two companies have a direct say in our Climate negotiations, and with COP 17 about to begin in Durban one wonders what message this sends to the serious players who are to negotiate at that gathering, these two, along with who knows how many other companies involved in the manufacture of cement, paper and other products, not forgetting the oil companies of course, led by Engen who threaten to shut down their refinery, when an official of the Government points out that their pollution is unacceptable! (if newspaper reports can be believed) All of these companies need to be given a simple directive, which states: in 90 days you will present a workable, transparent plan to reduce your emissions by 50% in 24 months, and a further 25% 24 months thereafter, with the balance over the next five years, this plan to be implemented 120 days from the end of the 90 day period. Two years of negotiation is just that, it’s negotiation, and nothing is done. Whether the Unions or Commerce believe it or not Climate Change is a reality and no amount of negotiating will remove it, they have to react, they have to shoulder their responsibility. If they don’t they will have to face a Carbon Tax which when added to their input costs will render them uncompetitive with their clean counterparts. This is all covered under the heading Carbon Budgets, given the urgency and the obvious effect of what is outlined above, a firmer line needs to be adopted.
There is in the new Green Economy a question that hangs over ESKOM and its role as the sole supplier of electricity in South Africa, I will not repeat what has been said ad nauseum, not only here, and by many others, including the media. There is a case for competition, for the benefit of South Africa and its people. This is a serious issue that needs to be tackled vigorously sooner rather than later.
Carbon tax in its various forms, is something which seems to be just another revenue stream created by Mr. Gordahn and his very efficient people, however this tax and any other created under any so called Green Initiative needs to be ring fenced and that money needs to be reinvested into the Green Economy, coupled with revenue derived from the CDM, would alleviate the issue for which this tax was created in the first place, I would hope that my plea here, finds its way to the good Ministers in-tray.
The project to raise the standard of fuel in South Africa has merit, however what is proposed is misguided, by the time there is implementation in 2017 the rest of the world will be dealing with Euro 6 or equivalent standard whilst we would have just reached Euro 4,its not as though we don’t have the technology here in South Africa, there are any number of vehicle manufacturers right here being encouraged to export to Euro 5 and soon 6 standards, cars made by our labour,using our steel and other resources, but most of all subsidised through our fiscus, so other countries can benefit from the high standards of Euro 5 and 6 or their equivalents, it’s bizarre.
Oil companies have over the past few months published their annual results all, including SASOL, reporting numbers that given the financial crisis currently enveloping the globe, are obscene, these companies must not be allowed to entertain any notion that a levy on prevailing fuel prices will fund that upgrade, if they want to trade in South Africa they need toinvest. Euro 4 as a standard needs to be revisited for the good of South Africa.
Man made tree plantations need to be carefully handled, whilst there is compelling argument that they provide the opportunity to act as carbon sinks, we must never lose sight that South Africa is a water scarce and consequently stressed country, tree plantations by their nature alter the micro climate in which they grow, and species such as Pine, Black Wattle, and Eucalyptus are all heavily water dependant, the lesson of the so-called Green Drought of 1994/5 in the Lowveld cannot be forgotten with verdant forests, but empty dams with water bailiffs working overtime, granting and policing water allocations to agriculture other than siviculture, the decline in the Blue Swallow population is a stark reminder of how greed can affect our environment, if I may, I’d like to tell you about one of South Africa’s foremost sons, a man called Michael Rattray who on his own, bought a tree plantation up in the Drakensberg near Lydenberg, and by removing the exotic trees ensured that the Sand River flowed past his lodge Mala Mala, during the dry winter months, ensuring also, that the many dependant people along its course had perennial water, this lesson must serve us well when thinking about the expansion of these plantations. Issues around monoculture need to be assessed, with particular attention being paid to the possibilities afforded by organic and post organic farming as well as new tillage methods.
This White Paper underscores the importance of reacting to Climate Change and shows that Climate Change is a serious item on the agenda of our Government, that seriousness must be carried forward beginning with South Africa’s contribution and dare I say leadership at the almost upon us COP 17 discussions in Durban. It must also speak to those who plan our future and who influence decisions that need to be made, there is no doubt that any form of new Fossil Fuel expansion, whether it be so called Fracking in the Karoo or anywhere else, or new coal mines specifically developed to fuel unwanted and unnecessary Coal Fired Power stations, need to be compared with, then rejected in favour of the real needs of South Africa going forward, sustainable renewable energy that has been given to us, this is where we should be headed, not deep into our Karoo placing our legacy at risk behind that hackneyedand almost always misleading, but ubiquitous pair of words: Job Creation.
I thank you