Blessing Manale is the head of Communications and Outreach at the Presidential Climate Commission.
Blessing Manale
We round up this year looking forward to 2025 being an exciting year for South Africa as we become the first African nation to preside over and host the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit, which we believe will be delivered with success both logistically and in terms of its substantive outcomes.
With the G20 being regarded as a premier forum for global economic cooperation and global governance on issues affecting the world, it remains widely regarded as a vehicle for promoting effective multilateral cooperation as it brings together the world's leading economies to ensure global economic stability and sustainable growth for all nations- our hosting is indeed a major responsibility.
In these difficult times of a world order characterised by increasing narrow nationalism, declining global solidarity, world hunger, poverty and inequality, our presidency of the G20 needs to strengthen the voice of Africa and the global South.
As stated in its key Agenda on its assumption of the Presidency, “South Africa seeks the G20 to action the Pact of the Future, central to such are the pressing issues of peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations and the transformation of global governance”.
Hosted under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability” with the stated objectives mainly being: Combating climate change, Promoting the Just Energy Transition, Addressing the debt vulnerability of developing countries, and Reforming the International Financial Architecture, South Africa in advancing these objectives should emphasize collective efforts to ensure a fair global order that meets the needs of the present while considering the future of our world.
The twin task of G20 SA: Sustainable development and finance
The G20 consists of two parallel tracks, being the Sherpa and Finance tracks. The latter focuses on socio-economic issues such as agriculture, anti-corruption, climate, digital economy, education, employment, energy, environment, health, tourism, trade and investment. While the finance track aims to address issues like fiscal and monetary policy issues such as the global economy, infrastructure, financial regulation, inclusion and taxation.
We must highlight the instrumental role developing nations in tackling the globe’s socio-economic towards the achievement lasting solutions to the challenges we face, whilst agreeing that such an ambition is a tall order, noting the current world order.
The stage has been set - coming out of Brazil G20 Presidency with the Ministerial Declaration Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group acknowledging that the cross-cutting nature of addressing climate change and the need for urgent actions to scale up, prioritise and mainstream mitigation and adaptation efforts by our governments, businesses, and society, in the wake of the widespread, significant and growing impacts of climate change.
As we prepare to host the world’s major economies on our shores in 2025, we need to advocate for an outcome that will complement various other agreements in sustainable development and climate change to resolve to work together in addressing the following:
– Promote, the existing channels and initiatives aiming to build and to strengthen the scientific base and knowledge about climate in developing countries, as well as technical and institutional capacity for policy and project preparation.
– Maintain climate adaptation at the highest level of attention in the G20 agenda and shift the present narrative of adaptation competing with development priorities to becoming a central ingredient of social and economic development, in synergy with climate, economic and fiscal policies.
– Explore ways to increase financing, in particular from public sources to mainstream climate adaptation at the highest political level, and to consider developing a dedicated frameworks for private investment for adaptation.
We have already reiterated the need to increase the role of private finance for adaptation, all we needs is depended on collaboration with private sector, financing institutions and governments, to identify and to promote innovative financing mechanisms for adaptation, as appropriate for the implementation of countries' National Adaptation plans, policies and strategies.
The energy sector including energy transition, sources and diversification, technology, efficiency, security, accessibility and affordability remains critical component for a sustainable global economy, and will therefore remain central to the G20 discussions summit’s discussions, and to this end, our Presidency should continue to relentlessly push for a global energy transition that considers the socio-economic impact on developing countries .
To respond to the need for inclusive and just transition to a Net-zero economy, the G20 should urge for policies that foster the creation of decent work and high-quality jobs, as well as the economic and social empowerment and protection of the workforce in the energy sector and other high emitting industries particularly youth women and local communities, throughout value chains.
Blessing Manale is the Head of Communications Presidential Climate Commission.
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