Charting Our Climate Future at COP28: A Pivotal moment – Assessing Progress on Implementing the Paris Agreement
Climate change is one of the greatest global threats but tackling it also presents one of the world’s biggest economic opportunities. Africa is especially vulnerable to climate change, where the transition risk and physical impacts are further exacerbated by high levels of social and economic vulnerability.
The United Nations Climate Conference, COP28, is a seminal point in global efforts to address climate change and to assess the implementation of the historic Paris Agreement. The first Global Stocktake (GST) at COP28 will provide a comprehensive assessment of progress made towards achieving the goals of the historic Paris Agreement. The GST will help align global efforts to accelerate climate ambition, investment and implementation, including putting measures in place to bridge the gaps in progress.
This COP will also focus on the just transitions that are taking place globally. South Africa is part of the one the first just energy transition partnerships that are now being implemented globally. There is considerable interest in how just transitions are funded and how they enable inclusive but transformative shifts towards net zero economies and how such a complex transition is translated into action across economic, social and environmental dimensions.
COP28 is a pivotal moment for governments and business, across the continent, to highlight and position climate action and investment opportunities that exist in Africa. In addition, this moment has created a unique platform to amplify the value of collaborative action and attract finance for implementation and increase efforts to further our commitment to the Paris Agreement.
Sustainable Futures: Uniting Climate Action with Africa’s Development Agenda
Last year, the COP27 South Africa Pavilion was used to demonstrate South Africa’s enhanced climate ambition and to position South Africa as a credible low carbon investment destination.
This year, we must reaffirm commitment to a net zero future and build on what was achieved at COP27. How do we do this?
South Africa must reinforce our climate ambition and credibility. We need to demonstrate collaborative action to mobilise further investment.
Annual Conference of the Parties (COP) Events
The National Business Initiative (NBI) offers its member companies an international leadership platform on which to demonstrate their climate action and commitments and build the networks necessary for implementation. This platform is the South Africa Pavilion that the NBI hosts in collaboration with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) each year.
The annual Conference of the Parties, or COP, refers to the main decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This is UN lead Climate Change Conference that takes place in a different host country each year. It includes representatives of 198 countries that are signatories to the UNFCCC, of which 194 are signatories to the landmark agreement for the mitigation of climate change, the Paris Agreement.
The COP represents the platform to negotiate and assess the effectiveness of measures introduced by the Parties to limit the impacts of climate change and meet the Paris Agreement goal of keeping the average global temperature increase to well below 2˚C above pre-industrial levels.
South Africa’s pavilion in the Blue Zone, comprises of over 40 business organisations and social partners each year. This is one of the NBI’s most impactful leadership platforms and is a strong platform for our member companies to also demonstrate their leadership in these spaces in the international arena. It is also a space aimed to bring an ambitious and coordinated business voice on climate action for South Africa.
South African business and government stakeholders have recognised both the physical and transition risks presented by climate change to the country’s economy and society. In response, we have, over the past two and a half years, developed well researched and widely consulted decarbonisation pathways to net-zero emissions by 2050 and to a more sustainable, resilient, and socially inclusive society. These pathways are ambitious, and as a developing country characterised by high levels of unemployment, inequality and poverty, as well as low economic growth, we also need to pursue them in a way that is Just and ensures that no one is left behind. To successfully implement a Just Transition in South Africa, there is a need to make bold commitments and raise finance to support them.
COP28
COP27
COP28
Day 2: Friday, 1 December 2023 (COP28)
Making Carbon Markets Accessible and Inclusive. Removing Barriers While Maintaining Integrity – Session 1
Host: Inclusive Carbon Standards (ICS)
Time: 10:00 to 11:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Partnerships Required for The Success Of The Carbon Capture, Utilisation And Storage (CCUS) Project In South Africa: Lessons From Mpumalanga Province – Session 2
Host: Council for Geoscience
Time: 13:00 to 14:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
The Climate Finance Accelerator: Bridging the Gap in Climate Finance – Session 4
Host: Climate Finance Accelerator- South Africa (CFA-SA)
Time: 16:00 to 17:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Day 3: Saturday, 2 December 2023 (COP28)
Investing In the Skills of the Future – Session 1
Host: Sasol
Time: 10:00 to 11:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Driving the Just Transition and Economic Diversification Through Local Green Entrepreneurship to Explore Climate Technologies in the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa – Session 2
Host: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Time: 12:00 to 13:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
The Role of Local Authorities in Climate Proofing the Built Environment –
Session 3
Host: South African Local Government Association (SALGA)
Time: 13:00 to 14:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Catalysing Climate Adaptation & Resilience Innovation in Africa –
Session 4
Host: United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and BFA Global Catalyst Fund
Time: 15:00 to 16:00 (GST)
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Business & the Just Transition: how can credible corporate leadership enhance governance models and support implementation of the new UNFCCC work programme on just transition pathways – Session 5
Host: BSR, The B Team and We Mean Business Coalition
Time: 16:00 to 17:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Day 4: Sunday, 3 December 2023 (Health/Relief, Recovery and Peace)
Private Sector Standards and Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP)S – Session 1
Host: The Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB)
Time: 09:00 to 10:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Just Energy Transition in Low and Middle-Income Countries – Insights from UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report 2023 – Session 2
Host: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Time: 10:30 to 11:30 (GST)
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The Role of Non-State Actors in Achieving Climate Ambition (Sustainability Showcase) – Session 3
Host: Scatec, Sasol, Anglo American, PwC and PolyCo
Time: 11:45 to 13:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Re-imagining South Africa’s Energy Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future – Session 4
Host: Anglo American
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Unlocking Innovative, Inclusive Finance to Support the African Agricultural Sector to Adapt and
Transform – Session 5
Host: Absa Group Limited
Time: 14:30 to 16:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
The South African Circular Economy and Climate Change – Session 6
Host: Norton Rose Fulbright
Time: 16:30 to 18:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Day 5: Monday, 4 December 2023 (Finance, Trade, Gender Equity and Accountability)
Enhancing Access to Climate and Nature Finance for African Cities – Challenges and Opportunities Session 1
Host: Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)
Time: 09:00 to 10:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Just Transition Financing Mechanisms – local and international experience – Session 2
Host: Presidential Climate Commission (PCC)
Time: 10:30 to 11:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Unpacking South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Implementation Plan – Session 3
Host: Presidency of South Africa JET Project Management Unit
Time: 11:30 to 13:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
The Increasing Risk of Neglecting Environment in Financial Markets – Session 4
Host: Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Translating Intent to Action – The Role of Sustainable Finance – Session 5
Host: Absa Group Limited
Time: 14:15 to 16:45 (GST)
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Right Financing and Transmission Investments Critical to Transition – Session 6
Host: Eskom
Time: 16:00 to 17:00 (GST)
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Developing a Critical Minerals Strategy for Southern Africa and the African Continent – Session 7
Host: Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Anglo American, Minerals Council and The African Climate Foundation (ACF)
Time: 17:00 to 18:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Day 6: Tuesday, 5 December 2023 (Energy, Industry and Just Transitions)
Just and Fair Climate Action – Setting and Achieving Science Based Targets – Session 1
Host: Naspers
Time: 09:00 to 10:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Enabling Climate Resilience Through Public and Private Sector Collaboration – Session 2
Host: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs
Time: 10:00 to 11:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Skilling for JET – The South African Case – Session 3
Host: National Business Initiative (NBI)
Time: 11:15 to 12:45 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Sharing Challenges and Key Lessons Learned from South Africa’s Just Energy Transition – Session 4
Host: Presidency of South Africa JET Project Management Unit
Time: 13:00 to 14:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Ensuring The Energy Transition Is Truly Just in Emerging Markets – Session 5
Host: Eskom
Time: 14:45 to 16:15 (GST)
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Inclusive Green Financing for Employment Creation – Session 6
Host: National Business Initiative (NBI)
Time: 16:30 to 17:30 (GST)
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Day 7: Wednesday, 6 December 2023 (Multi-Level Action, Urbanisation, Built Environment and Transport)
Accelerating Carbon Accounting in Emerging Economies – Session 1
Host: Naspers
Time: 09:00 to 10:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
International Climate Councils Network event – Session 2
Host: Presidential Climate Commission (PCC)
Time: 10:30 to 11:30 (GST)
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Putting A Price on Carbon: How Market-Based Mechanisms can Unlock Climate Action – Session 3
Host: Sasol
Time: 11:30 to 12:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Unlocking Renewable Electricity in South Africa – Session 4
Host: National Business Initiative (NBI) in Collaboration with World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and Climate Group
Time: 12:30 to 13:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Regional Development Approaches in Declining Coal Regions, With A Focus On Mpumalanga – Session 5
Host: Presidential Climate Commission (PCC)
Time: 14:00 to 15:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Case Studies for Unlocking Carbon Revenue Through Tech Development to Boost Wildlife Economies and Restore Ecosystems – Session 6
Host: Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation (OGRC)
Time: 15:00 to 16:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Setting Up Your Workforce to Drive Your Sustainability Agenda – Session 7
Host: PwC
Time: 16:00 to 17:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
South Africa Climate Finance Landscape – Session 8
Host: Presidential Climate Commission (PCC)
Time: 17:00 to 18:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Launch of the South Africa Pavilion – Session 9
Host: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE)
Time: 18:30 to 20:30 (GST)
Day 9: Friday, 8 December 2023 (Youth, Children, Education and Skills)
African Science for the African Position – Session 1
Host: Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation (OGRC)
Time: 09:00 to 10:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Skilling for JET: Partnering for Inclusive Growth in Local Skills Ecosystems – Session 2
Host: National Business Initiative (NBI)
Time: 10:00 to 11:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Skilling Young People for the Labour Force of Tomorrow – Session 3
Host: Presidential Climate Commission (PCC)
Time: 11:30 to 12:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Just Transition Tag and Track Framework – Session 4
Host: Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Collaborating Towards the Attainment of South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Plan – A Business Perspective – Session 5
Host: BrandSA
Time: 14:00 to 15:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Just Energy Transition in South Africa – Session 6
Host: University of Witswaterand and COSATU
Time: 15:00 to 16:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Disaster Management and Resilience in Context of Rapidly Changing Climate (With Focus On KZN Floods) – Session 7
Host: Presidential Climate Commission (PCC)
Time: 16:30 to 17:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Day 10: Saturday, 9 December (Nature, Land use and Oceans)
Carbon Capture and Storage Mou for Exxaro and Council of Geoscience – Session 1
Host: Exxaro and Council for Geoscience
Time: 9:00 to 10:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Shaping New Narratives for a New Economy in South Africa – Presenting The New Economy Campaigns Hub – Session 2
Host: The African Climate Foundation (ACF)
Time: 10:00 to 11:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Nature-based Solutions to Mitigating Biodiversity Loss and Climate Change – Session 3
Host: Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA)
Time: 11:30 to 13:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Applications of Blockchain in South Africa’s Energy Transition – Session 4
Host: Blockchain and Climate Institute
Time: 13:30 to 14:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Advocating for Rights-Based Climate Investment Plans in Developing Nations for a Just Energy Transition – Session 5
Host: Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ)
Time: 15:15 to 16:15 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Day 11: Sunday, 10 December 2023 (Food, Agriculture and Water)
The Food, Water and Gender Nexus – Session 1
Host: South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality
Time: 09:00 to 10:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Towards a Just Adaptation and Resilience Investment Plan – Session 2
Host: Presidential Climate Commission (PCC)
Time: 10:30 to 11:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Showcasing Pockets of Excellence in The Green and Inclusive Sector in Rural and Township Landscapes and the Role of Private Sector Collaboration in the Transition to a Low – Session 3
Host: Indalo Inclusive South Africa NPC
Time: 11:30 to 12:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Sustainable Africa: A Comprehensive Approach to Climate Action and Social Development – Session 4
Host: Food & Trees for Africa
Time: 13:00 to 14:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Climate Change Resilience in the Water Sector – Opportunities for Water Reuse as a New Asset Class to Attract Private Sector Capital – Session 5
Host: Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)
Time: 14:30 to 15:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Food Systems Transformation and Climate Resilience – Session 6
Host: IDH Sustainable Trade
Time: 16:00 to 17:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Day 12: Monday, 11 December 2023 (Final Negotiations)
Just Transition and Climate Finance in Local Government – Session 1
Host: South African Local Government Association (SALGA)
Time: 10:30 to 12:00 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Water Security is Climate Security – Sustainable Management of Water Resources Pathways – Session 2
Host: Department of Water and Sanitation
Time: 12:30 to 13:30 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
Site Selection for Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS): The Case of Mpumalanga, South Africa – Session 3
Host: Council for Geoscience
Time: 15:45 to 16:45 (GST)
RSVP: Please click here to register for this Zoom event, and then add the link to your calendar.
COP27
The pavilion at COP27 demonstrated South Africa’s Just Transition and climate commitments through showcasing action taken by business, youth, labour, civil society and government
- VISIT BY PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA: Visit to the Pavilion by President Cyril Ramaphosa (watch the video here), as well as esteemed Ministers Ms Barbara Creecy (Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries) and Dr Naledi Pandor (Minister of International Relations and Cooperation).
- LAUNCH OF THE JUST ENERGY TRANSITION INVESTMENT PLAN (JET-IP): President Cyril Ramaphosa successfully launched the government’s Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) at the World Leader’s Summit, hosted in the first week of COP27. A number of JET-IP conversations were hosted at the pavilion.
- LARGEST BUSINESS DELEGATION TO A UN CLIMATE CONFERENCE: The South Africa pavilion at COP27 saw the biggest business delegation to date, including the largest delegation of CEOs, Board Chairs, Managing Directors, Vice Presidents and Sustainability Executives. This afforded a truly unique setting for hosting crucial conversations and providing key networking and opportunities for strategic conversations to take place. Hear what our sponsors had to say in this COP27 Pavilion Journey
- HOSTING 56 EVENTS IN JUST 8 DAYS: Together we hosted a record number of events for a South Africa COP Pavilion, bringing together a range of key stakeholders who also participated in events, including several youth, civil society, academia, and labour representatives (including COSATU). See the full schedule of South Africa Pavilion Events.
- 5,870 PEOPLE WATCHED OUR EVENTS IN 8 DAYS: We had ~1,000 visitors attending the COP27 Pavilion events in person, with 2,524 on Zoom and 2,346 watching the live streaming on our YouTube channel. At any one time, the Pavilion had between 50 to 140 visitors from South Africa and around the world utilising the space and facilities.
- NBI’S MEDIA COVERAGE REACHED 51,888,687 PEOPLE: General media coverage that the NBI received for the SA Pavilion reached 51,888,687 people and amounted to over R3 million of ad-value equivalent (AVE).
- LAUNCH EVENT PROFILED LIVE ON SABC & eNCA TV CHANNELS: The COP27 Launch Event was shown live on national TV stations: SABC and eNCA in South Africa. In addition, there were daily broadcasts and interviews at our pavilion by a variety of local and international media. Overall, there were 21 TV/radio broadcasts, reaching over 49 million people and resulting in R1,790 293 (AVE).
- SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN REACHED 975 000 PEOPLE ONLINE: The NBI’s month long #NBICOP27 social media campaign reached 975 000 people online with 674 post mentions. This massive campaign comprised 220 social media banner designs and copy, amounting to 466 items of user generated content.
Here are what some of our key sponsors and stakeholders had to say about the South African COP27 Pavilion, as profiled in our COP27 video series:
“We have been working with the private sector for many years now, this partnership around this Pavilion goes back five or six years with the National Business Initiative. And I’m happy to say that this year is the biggest participation we have head by a business delegation. And what you can see all around me, are actors from all over the world, showing off the contribution they are making to the green technological revolution.”
Minister Barbara Creecy (Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries)
“The Pavilion is very important for South Africa to represent itself. We are one of the global leaders in the Just Energy Transition initiative. I think representing ourselves is very important to demonstrate our flagship projects and also to get the attention of lenders and prospective lenders, so there is a clear business case to have a South African Pavilion. The design of the Pavilion is really clean and fresh, it’s open and inviting, we’ve seen a lot of people wander in, participate in discussions and become more interested in using the space and facilities.”
Andre de Ruyter (Previous Eskom CEO)
“At COP27, the South African Pavilion is THE place to hang out. There’s always a buzz, there are lots of people coming and going and it’s a very clever combination of meeting space and events […] so it’s got just the right combination of spaces to make it the perfect place to meet and connect.”
Dr Crispian Olver (Executive Director – Presidential Climate Commission (PCC))
“This is the fifth time that Government and the NBI have jointly run a pavilion. I would say that not only has it been the biggest pavilion, but it has also been the best. We have had a fabulous set of sponsors from across South African business. We’ve had a large number of CEOs and senior business leaders at the pavilion. And we have been able to put on a series of events that have brought together a wide range of diverse stakeholders.”
Joanne Yawitch (NBI CEO)
Key COP27 South African Pavilion Resources
- NBI’s Summary COP27 Report and Mailer:
Mailer: Reflecting on COP27
- NBI’s COP27 Op-Ed Series:
- Business Day: South Africans will see real change soon, due to the Just Energy Transition Partnership
- Mail and Guardian: Post COP27 Outlook: South Africa needs to get going on the transition to a low carbon economy