ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION BETWEEN NORWAY AND SOUTH AFRICA

PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS – 23 FEBRUARY 2015

BACKGROUND

• The environmental cooperation programme between South Africa and Kingdom of Norway formally commenced on 13 June 1997

• 1997 – 2000– Environmental Programme and a Marine Fisheries Programme with a total value of

NOK 20 million (R18.4 million) • 2000 – 2005

– Environmental Co-operation Programme was financed through a grant of NOK 60 million (R45 million)

• 2005 – 2010– Environmental cooperation with a total value of NOK 55 million (approximately R66

million)

• Areas supported:– Air quality (incl Durban South, eThekweni municipality); Wetlands; Threathend

Species, IUCN Red list; Cultural Heritage and World Heritage (Robben Island, Mapungubwe), Climate Change; SADC Indicators; State of Environment Reporting; pollution and waste; environmental governance, Fisheres research, rights allocation; training in fisheries management

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NEW ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION

• June 2013 Minister Molewa signed a Declaration of Intent (DoI) on future environmental

cooperation - Climate change; Oceans and coastal management; biodiversity; chemicals;

any other areas mutually agreed

• In November 2014 DEA together with the Ambassador of Norway signed the new Business

Plan (2014-2017) for the environmental cooperation programme capacity development

within the SA National Inventory Unit– Institutional Arrangements (IAs) for South Africa's national greenhouse gas (GHG)

inventory compilation developed– Data collection templates for all emission source categories developed– Procedures for data archiving developed;– Documentation of methods, assumptions, emissions factors and results in place; and – Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) procedures and checklists developed

• A financial grant of up to NOK 5 million (approx. R 7.9 million) (subject to Parliamentary appropriations and the terms and procedures of this Business Plan)

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POTENTIAL AREAS OF FUTURE COOPERATION

• Blue (Oceans) Economy – Marine transport and manufacturing; Offshore oil and gas

exploration; Aquaculture; Marine protection services and ocean governance

– Norway is one of the pioneering countries in unlocking the economic potential in ocean

economy and the maritime sector.

• International Climate Change Negotiations – Towards Paris (UNFCCC)

– Concluding on the post-2020 legal climate agreement to be applicable to all countries.

• International Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) – The

intergovernmental body for assessing the state of the planet's biodiversity, its ecosystems and

the essential services they provide to society.– The establishment of a Technical Support Unit for the sub-region as means to build

capacity nationally and for the region– Assessments on the multiple values of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Valuation &

Natural Capital accounting)– Business and Biodiversity- with a focus on the Nagoya Protocol

•

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