SA says no to carbon cuts

Cape Town - South African ministers have approved their hardest line to date resisting a climate change clampdown on carbon emissions. An announcement from cabinet issued on Thursday said explicitly: "We are not ready to agree to any targets that would undermine out growth trajectory."

The ministers acknowledged that even though Africa has contributed 'minutely' to overall global emissions, South Africa has a poor record, because of its heavy reliance on coal-fired electricity generation combined with its relatively small population.

But according to the cabinet spokesman, Themba Maseko, "it is not going to be possible for us to reduce emissions in the near future".

Maseko insisted: "Developed nations have a much greater responsibility. They have contributed to emissions for longer than any of the developing nations. They have reached a level of growth that can enable them to contribute to reduction. Whereas developing nations such as ourselves have quite a long way to go in terms of growing our economy and reaching our millennium growth targets."

Maseko said that South Africa will contribute to carbon emission reduction by working on scientific research to find alternative energy sources.

The next round of negotiations on the UN framework convention on climate change is due to take place in Copenhagen in December of this year.

- I-Net Bridge