South Africa’s Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has been appointed to a crucial role in the run-up to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Azerbaijan.
Dr George, alongside Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment, Tore Onshuus Sandvik, will steer informal consultations on mitigation efforts before and during the conference.
The pair were chosen by COP29 President-designate Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources.
Dr George said the appointment recognised South Africa’s “long-standing leadership role” in international climate negotiations and its efforts to implement “just transitions” at home.
“This is the challenge of our time, and I am honoured to continue South Africa’s leadership,” he added.
The ministers will engage with all parties and negotiating groups to foster understanding of priorities and areas needing political guidance.
Their appointment comes as Dr George prepares to attend the Pre-COP event in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 10-11 October 2024.
The two-day meeting will bring together ministers to discuss key political aspects of the negotiations and set the tone for COP29.
Discussions will cover topics including the potential of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and outcomes of the first Global Stocktake.
COP29 is seen as a critical moment for global climate action, building on commitments made at previous conferences to limit global temperature rise.
