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SA: Alf Wills: Address by the Deputy Director-General for Environmental Advisory Services, at the 'Youth Unemployment and Green Jobs Dialogue' DBSA, Vulindlela Conference Centre, Eastern Cape (09/04/2014)

SA: Alf Wills: Address by the Deputy Director-General for Environmental Advisory Services, at the 'Youth Unemployment and Green Jobs Dialogue' DBSA, Vulindlela Conference Centre, Eastern Cape (09/04/2014)

9th April 2014

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Programme Director,
Representative of International Labour Organisation (ILO) (Our partner),
Representative from the United Nations Environment Programme,
Representative from the Development Bank of Southern Africa,
Representative from Labour Union,
Representative from business,
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen.

As we celebrate 20 years of democracy, we also have to reflect on Governments approaches and achievements of different programmes at both policy and implementation levels that drive South Africa’s developmental agenda.

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However, in noting the significant achievements, youth unemployment, inequality and poverty remain a daunting task to address. Therefore, this dialogue should provide us with a platform to learn from each other and strengthen our existing partnerships in our quest to explore solutions through innovative approaches towards implementation of sustainable mechanisms that are aligned to the country’s sustainable development agenda in light of the concept of the green economy and green jobs.

In 2010, we hosted the National Summit on Green Economy under the overarching theme: “towards a resource efficient, low carbon and pro-employment growth path.” It was at this summit that we made a conscious decision of championing the transition to a green economy and further identified thematic focus areas for intervention in South Africa.

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In the recent State of the nation address; the President stated that approximately 650 thousand jobs were created last year. The President also stated that: “the unemployment rate still remains high. Youth unemployment in South Africa continues to be of concern….”

The President further reminded the House about the National Youth Accord which was signed in April 2013, in Soweto. He also referred to the achievements of the Expanded Public Works Programme, and the number of job being created through this initiative, and alluded to the target of six million work opportunities to be achieved between 2014 - 2019. We have a huge task ahead of us, and more specifically on the Green Economy and the implications it holds for the youth of this country.

It is also worth noting that we are hosting this dialogue after a four-day Presidential Indaba on Youth, Jobs and Skills hosted last month, as government continues to invest in youth of this country. The Indaba created a platform to young people to empower themselves through directly interacting with the President, senior government officials and the Business community accessing information that will lead to career development path and job opportunities.

Government signed a series of Accords with social partners and Organised Business between 2011 and 2013. The Accords will assist us to unlock several challenges facing us ahead. These includes: National Skills Accord, Basic Education and Partnerships with Schools Accord, the Local Procurement Accord, October Social Accord, the Youth Employment Accord and the Green Economy Accord.

As you may be aware, the Green Economy Accord was signed by Government with numerous stakeholders on 17 November 2011. The Accord identifies 12 key commitment areas, with a goal of creating at least 300 000 jobs by 2020.

The 12 commitment areas which have been identified in the Green Economy Accord include:

Commitment 1: Rollout of Solar Water Heaters - government commits to a target of ensuring the installation of 1 million solar water heaters at household level by 2014. Business commits to working with government to develop, establish and then publicise a sustainable funding plan to support the installation of 1 million SWH systems.

Commitment 2: Investment in The Green Economy - the parties to this accord recognise that new sources of funding and finance will need to be developed and tapped to ensure that green economy investment levels are rapidly improved. Both public and private sector funding will be required.

Commitment 3: Rollout of Renewable Energy - government commits to the procurement of renewable energy as part of the plan to expand the energy-generation capacity of the country to this end, government will secure commitments for the supply of 3 725 Mw of renewable energy by 2016 as a first step to realising the goals for renewable energy under the Integrated resource plan 2010-2030.

Commitment 4: Energy Efficiency - energy efficiency supports a number of key government objectives, including: enhancing business competitiveness; strengthening energy security; creating jobs; reducing the economy’s energy-intensity and transitioning to a lower carbon economy; and improving environmental quality.

Commitment 5: Waste Recycling, Re-Use and Recovery - a range of industries are engaged in a variety of activities to recycle, re-use or recover waste. These activities can be broadly divided into those dealing with post-consumer waste and those dealing with waste generated during the production process.

Commitment 6: Biofuels - the production of biofuels for mandatory blending in the petrol and diesel national fuel pool can contribute to lower carbon-emissions, greater fuel-supply security and significant job-creation in the growing of feed-stocks that do not compete with local food needs.

Commitment 7: Clean-Coal Initiatives - the coal resources available in South Africa are massive and need to be exploited in a manner that recognises the damage done by greenhouse gas emission associated with coal exploitation. Government has established a Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF) which seeks to develop clean coal technologies applicable to power generation, through international collaboration with countries facing similar coal development challenges.

Commitment 8: Retrofitting - one of the opportunities to green the economy is to identify ways to improve the energy-efficiency of workplaces, homes and power stations. The addition of new technologies and methods to existing systems and buildings are referred to as retrofitting.

Commitment 9: Reducing Carbon-Emission on our Roads - all parties to this accord commit to promote among South Africans the value and importance of public transport as a means, among other advantages, of reducing carbon-emissions.

Commitment 10: Electrification of Poor Communities and Reduction of Fossil-Fuel Open Fire Cooking and Heating - government recognises that at least 3 million households still rely on traditional energy carriers like candles and firewood, leading to continued environmental degradation particularly in rural areas and in urban informal settlements.

Commitment 11: Economic Development in the Green Economy: Promotion of Localisation, Youth Employment, Cooperatives and Skills Development - the parties to this accord recognise the critical importance of localisation strategies to promote industrial manufacture of components, inputs and technologies in South Africa. This should include providing incentives, industrial funding as well as conditionalities in Publicly-supported programmes.

Commitment 12: Cooperation around the United Nations Cop 17 and its Follow-up - South Africa hosts the United Nations Cop 17 talks on climate change and all parties will work closely with government during and after the Conference to realise the success of the work and agenda of Cop 17.

Further, Chapter Nine of the National Climate Change Response White Paper alludes to job creation. It addresses policy outcomes, policy instruments inclusive of the National Employment Vulnerability Assessment and the Sector Jobs Resilience Plans (SJRPs), and finally the chapter also refers to the timing of interventions. The National Employment Vulnerability Assessment, once undertaken will assess the impact of jobs of climate change and climate change responses by sector and location, to understand what job-related interventions may be required. The National Employment Vulnerability Assessment will be undertaken in partnership with the Department of Economic Development.

The National Waste Management Strategy also addresses job targets to be achieved within the sector.

We must scale up various successful programmes such as the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), other national programmes to sustain our natural resources; the land care programme aimed at finding ways of rehabilitating the quality of our soils in ensuring food security, protecting our biodiversity; through alien invasive plants clearance and the “working for” programmes, continuing to create employment opportunities especially for women and youth.

There are several key areas of intervention which the Department of Environmental Affairs has embarked on addressing youth unemployment. Noteworthy of mention are the following:

Groen Sebenza Jobs Fund Partnership project between the department and its public entity, the South African National Biodiversity Institute – with the aim at growing a pool of young biodiversity professionals.

Youth Jobs in Waste Programme will create approximately 3 577 jobs once it is fully operations in the provinces.

The Waste prenuer programme which is being implemented through the departments Green Fund aims to create job opportunities for both youth and women and has currently created approximately 2 350 jobs with a final target of 4 400 jobs by the time the project is fully operational in two provinces, namely KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.

The department's Green Fund Programme provides start-up funding for innovative and high-impact green economy projects that supports the transition to a greener economy which supports poverty reduction and job creation, through its high tolerance for risk taking. In addition, it will create an enabling environment for future investments. The Green Fund further supports research and policy development including capacity development. This is an exciting new initiative, providing a unique opportunity for government, financiers and the private sector to be directly involved in supporting innovative green economy initiatives.

Ladies and gentlemen, government alone cannot manage and fund a just transition to a green economy; the private sector and civil society play a fundamental role.

I hope that this side dialogue will assist us in unlocking the benefit of the green economy and begin to provide space to package our green jobs initiatives from different stakeholders. Let us share with one another the best possible way to operationalise the concept of green jobs to support our own developmental path.

I declare this dialogue officially opened and I wish you a fruitful deliberation.

I thank you.

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