Discussion about proposed workshop on climate change in preparation for COP 17; Consideration of the Third Term Committee Programme

Meeting report

Committee discussion on proposed workshop on climate change in preparation for COP 17
The Chairperson stated the Committee was supposed to have received a briefing from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform during the present meeting. The briefing was cancelled as the Department had other commitments. Hence the agenda had been changed to have a preparatory discussion on a proposed workshop on climate change in anticipation of the 17^th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 17) to be held in Durban at the end of 2011. The Chief Whip had proposed that the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) be workshopped on climate change. The discussion over the proposed workshop had not been finalised as yet. The Steering Committee in the National Assembly (NA) was also preparing for COP 17. The Steering Committee wished to have a joint workshop with the NCOP on climate change. The NCOP was very interested in such a workshop as climate change affected both local government and provinces. The point was that persons at grassroots level were not aware of climate change and the impact that it had on their lives. Climate change especially affected women in rural areas. The workshop would be welcomed. The Committee needed to be informed about climate change and in so doing could pass on the knowledge acquired to others.

The Chairperson suggested that the Committee refrain from discussing the issue of climate change at present given that discussions over the proposed workshop between the NCOP and the NA were still taking place.

The Committee did not have any objection to the suggestion.

Mr G Mokgoro (ANC, Northern Cape) asked who was organising the workshop. He stated that global warming was an important issue and that COP 17 was scheduled to be held not too far off in the future either in November or December. The Committee therefore needed to develop a position paper in which the stance of the Committee was set out. Once the position paper was drafted it could be presented at the Convention in Durban.

The Chairperson stated that the NCOP had initiated the workshop. The National Assembly had come forward and asked that the NCOP and the NA be workshopped jointly on climate change. Further discussions with the Chief Whip over the workshop would take place. The decision on when and how it was to take place was still to be taken.

Ms N Magadla (ANC, Kwazulu-Natal) stated that a joint workshop with the National Assembly would be useful. It would keep the two Houses of Parliament on par. She cautioned that the Committee be first workshopped on climate change before submitting a position paper to COP 17.

Ms Deshni Pillay, Content Adviser to the Committee, stated that she had spoken to people from local government on what issues should be included in the workshop that was planned for the NCOP and the NA. The workshop should pay special attention to local government and provinces with a special focus on implementation.

The Chairperson had noticed individuals who were part of organising COP 17 to be present in the meeting and asked if they wished to make any contributions to the meeting. She suggested that individuals introduce themselves to members and state from which organisations they were from and what their roles were. The Committee would at another time provide the individuals with an opportunity to present more comprehensively to members.

Mr Kevin Roussel, Advocacy and Campaign Officer, Oxfam South Africa, introduced himself and stated that he was involved in COP 17 to the extent that he was the COP 17 South Africa Lead.

Ms Kelly Dent, Senior Climate Change Advisor to Oxfam International also introduced herself and was the Oxfam International Lead at COP 17. She stated that Oxfam funded local partners on development and poverty. Oxfam also had an advocacy team. The idea was for people to adapt to the impact of climate change.

The Chairperson felt it very important for the Committee to have greater interaction with Oxfam and the work they were engaged in. The Committee could have some of their questions answered by Oxfam. A presentation with accompanying documentation by Oxfam to the Committee would be scheduled to take place in the future. She stated that members worked directly with provinces to alleviate poverty. As soon as parliament reconvened near to the end of July 2011, a meeting with Oxfam needed to be scheduled in the first week of August 2011. COP 17 was not far off.

Mr Magadla stated that the Committee was passionate towards working for a better life for all South Africans. She looked forward to when Oxfam would present to the Committee.

The Chairperson agreed that the Committee also looked forward to the presentation.

Third Term Draft Committee Programme
Mr Asgar Bawa, Committee Secretary, proceeded to take the Committee through the programme. He stated that from the 22 July – 1 August 2011 there were no meetings scheduled for the Committee as most members would be in the USA. On the 1 August 2011, Members arrived back from the USA. He noted that the Committee had wished to do more oversight visits; unfortunately the only time available for oversight visits was 3-5 August 2011. The North West Province and the Western Cape were two provinces which were good candidates for oversight. The Committee had shown interest to visit Hartebeespoort Dam in the North West Province. A Reconstruction and Development Programme project near to the Dam could also be visited. For ease of transport and accommodation the places visited should be in close proximity.

The Chairperson asked when whips were arriving back from their oversight visit to India.

Mr Mokgoro responded that he was under the belief that the whips’ oversight visit was from the 24- 29 July 2011.

Ms Magadla stated that she had been informed that the dates for the whips’ study tour had been changed. The whips’ study tour had been postponed to August 2011.

The Chairperson asked what the reason for the change in dates was.

Ms Magadla stated that she did not know what the reason was for the change in dates.

The Chairperson stated that when some Members returned from their trip from the USA on the 1 August 2011 it meant that the Committee had to leave on its oversight visits the following day which was the 2 August 2011. It would of course depend on the availability of airline flights.

Ms Magadla asked if the entire Committee was going on the oversight visits.

The Chairperson affirmed that the entire Committee would be going on the oversight visits.

Mr Bawa informed Members that 9 August 2011 was a public holiday. He stated that all the slots that the Committee had were covered meeting wise. He further informed the Committee that water boards had made referrals. Water boards were not always referred for consideration and for reporting. A total of twelve water boards had been referred to the Committee for consideration and to report. The National Assembly had already dealt with the twelve water boards. He asked the Committee whether it was going to deal with the water boards. If the Committee planned to do so, then three meetings were needed to deal with the twelve water boards. The decision lied with the Committee. An alternative was perhaps for the Committee only to deal with the problematic water boards.

The Chairperson felt that if the National Assembly had already dealt with the water boards what was the need for the Committee to deal with them. It would just be a repeated exercise. She stated that the options before the Committee was to either deal with the problematic water boards or to not deal with the water boards at all since the National Assembly had already done it. The Committee had to choose.

Mr Bawa stated that in the event that the Committee decided not to deal with the water boards at all the Committee needed to request the Chief Whip to reverse the referral. The other choice was for the Committee to only deal with the problematic water boards. The choice was the Committee’s.

Mr Mokgoro agreed that the Committee should not repeat what had already been done by the National Assembly. It would be a repetition. The Committee could however consider what had been done by the National Assembly on water boards so that members were on board regarding the issue of water boards.
He felt the oversight visits to be a better option than dealing with water boards.

Ms Magadla also opted for the oversight visits over dealing with water boards.

The Committee seemed in favour of going on oversight visits rather than dealing with water boards which the National Assembly had already done.

The Chairperson stated that the briefing which the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform should have given in the present meeting was shifted to the 16 August 2011. She informed the Committee that a Stockholm Water Summit was scheduled to take place from the 21-27 August 2011. She felt it necessary for the Committee to attend. The necessary application would be made requesting permission for the Committee to attend the Summit. Members had to attend the Water Summit in order to be better informed on water issues when they attended COP 17 later on in the year.

Mr Bawa stated that a briefing from the Ingonyama Trust would be slotted in on the Committee’s Draft Programme. The 12-16 September was provincial week. The 20 September 2011 was the last meeting scheduled for the Committee for the third term. The 22-23 September 2011 was the People’s Assembly. Thereafter parliament went into recess.

The Chairperson emphasised that the Committee needed to push for permission to attend the Stockholm Water Summit.

Mr Mokgoro asked where the Water Summit was to be held.

Ms Pillay answered that it was to take place in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Chairperson re-emphasised the importance of members attending the Stockholm Water Summit.
Ms Magadla also felt it important that the Committee attend the Water Summit in Sweden. The Committee needed to motivate its application to the House Chairperson for permission to go to Sweden. She felt that the Committee’s budget did make provision for it.

The Chairperson stated that a motivation would accompany the application.

Mr Bawa made the point that previous applications were unsuccessful perhaps because there were clashes with parliament’s programme. For example clashes with plenaries ie the rise and fall thereof.

The Chairperson stated that the issue was about programming. She stated that in the motivation it should be stated that even if a sitting coincided with the trip, parliament should excuse the Committee from that sitting.

Committee Minutes
The Committee adopted outstanding minutes dated the 14 June 2011 unamended.

The Chairperson stated that the present meeting was the Committee’s last for the session. Parliament would reconvene on 26 July 2011.

The meeting was adjourned.