South Africa, Norway Ministers To Lead Climate Change Mitigation Talks At COP29

South Africa's Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dion George alongside Norway's Minister of Climate and Environment Tore Onshuus Sandvik have been chosen to lead informal discussions on climate change mitigation before and during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29).

They were appointed by Mukhtar Babayev, the President-designate for COP29 and Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources in Azerbaijan. Minister George expressed his honor in accepting this important and challenging role from the President-designate for COP29.

"The designation of South Africa as a ministerial co-facilitator recognizes the country's long-standing leadership role at the international multi-lateral climate negotiations in ensuring the voices of developing countries are well reflected in the multilateral deliberations, and our national level leadership to implement Just Transitions," George said, SA News reported.

Ministers George and Sandvik, in their consultations, will work with various parties and negotiating groups to hold informal discussions on specific issues related to climate change mitigation and its connections to the overall process.

These consultations are expected to help ministers and their teams understand their priorities, viewpoints and areas that need political direction in the leadup to the COP29 conference.

Minister George acknowledged that this is a major challenge, and he feels honored to continue South Africa's leadership in this area.

The appointment comes as George prepares to attend this year's Pre-COP event, which will be held on Oct. 10-11, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Pre-COP29 will bring together ministers to discuss important political issues related to the negotiations, find solutions to unresolved problems, and set the stage for COP29.

Minister Babayev will open the Pre-COP event on Thursday, along with Dr. Sultan A. Al Jaber, the COP28 President and Special Envoy for Climate Change from the United Arab Emirates, and others.

The opening will be followed by a plenary discussion on the Road to COP29 and several Climate Change Labs. The second day of Pre-COP will focus on discussions about "Unlocking the potential of Article 6" and "Taking forward the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake (GST)."

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the United Nations General Assembly during his New York visit, where he discussed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2030 Agenda, climate change and the upcoming COP29 in Baku, financing for development, and health preparedness for pandemics.