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A transformative parliament in SA is a key instrument to drive climate change action

A transformative parliament in SA is a key instrument to drive climate change action
Heads of state – including King Charles III; Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani; Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres; Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, president of the UNFCCC COP28 Climate Conference; UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi; and French President Emmanuel Macron – gather on the first day of the high-level segment of the COP28 Climate Conference in Dubai on 1 December 2023. (Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Xolile George
By Xolile George
17 Dec 2023
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At the 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), many highlighted the role of parliaments in the response to climate change, especially in ensuring inclusivity and responsiveness. 

It is often said that a car is as good as its engine. This also rings true for Parliament. A well-functioning and compassionate administration of the legislature has an opportunity to facilitate and translate high-level, often complex, discussions about climate change, into meaningful discussions at a local level. By enhancing public participation on issues of climate change, the legislature will give meaning to the first words of the preamble of the Constitution –“We, the people,” – and give soul and a heartbeat to an often highly technical subject.

Section 59 of the Constitution is instructive to the legislature on public participation, and views participation as a matter of justice and democracy. However, public participation within the climate change discourse is also a practical necessity for the envisioned transition to be implemented sustainably. 

For South Africa, the goal of limiting temperature increases to 1.5°C through the implementation of the Just Energy Transition Implementation Plan (JET IP) has inherent risks that might negatively affect the people and businesses in those mining-affected areas. The JET IP, among others, seeks to focus on emission reductions through decommissioning six coal power stations by 2030 and a further seven coal power stations by 2050. In this transition, it will be key to ensure that the voices of the people and businesses make meaningful contributions to climate action and help drive the transition. 

The effective implementation of Parliament’s 7th-term Macro Framework is critical to achieving this. The 7th-term Macro Strategy identifies four critical pillars, namely the work towards transformative legislatures; being a responsive legislature; collaboration with organisations that share common goals, knowledge, resources, and competencies; as well as effective stakeholder engagement. All these pillars will be key in ensuring that the legislative sector is a driving force and voice of the people for the just transition.  

Parliament's role in the Just Energy Transition Heads of state gather on the first day of the high-level segment of the COP28 Climate Conference in Dubai on 1 December 2023. (Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)


Transformative Parliament for just climate action 


The macro framework envisions the 7th Parliament as transformative and anchored in using empirical evidence to guide policy formulation and decision-making. To achieve a transformative Parliament means that the legislatures must chart a new direction aimed at reaching a different and higher level of effectiveness.

It is projected that up to 48,500 jobs are expected to be lost if the government meets its target of decommissioning six coal plants by 2030. If realised, this will be devastating to communities and downstream businesses in the country, particularly in Mpumalanga. Mpumalanga produces 80% of South Africa’s coal both for the local market and for export. The coal mining industry contributes more than 20% to the provincial GDP and employs at least 7% of those employed in the province.  

A critical milestone highlighted by the macro framework is the development of an impact assessment framework for bills passed in Parliament to assess if they are making structural differences in people’s daily lives. The urgency for this tool has been elevated as the government starts the implementation of the JET IP to ensure communities of those mining towns are not left behind. As the transition gains momentum, this impact assessment tool must ensure that the 20% contribution to Mpumalanga’s GDP is protected and green jobs are created. 

A responsive Parliament


One of the practical steps Parliament is taking to ensure it is a responsive legislature is strengthening its public participation function to ensure MPs have the adequate support needed to perform their duties. A responsive legislature is one that listens to the views of the people effectively and efficiently. Parliament has conducted several public participation activities in the sixth parliamentary term through public hearings, oversight visits, stakeholder engagements and committee meetings. These have provided necessary lessons about which areas require improvement and which areas remain effective. 

Collaboration to enhance public participation 


Parliament is a microcosm of South Africa’s fiscal challenges, with dwindling budgets, but growing demands. The dwindling financial base of the legislative sector requires innovation and better use of technology to counteract the current model of physical interaction between the legislature and the public. 

The transformative potential of technology will bridge the gap between available financial resources and the growing need for enhanced public participation. Technology will amplify the resonance of citizen voices. Legislatures must consider collaborations and tap into scientific resources from institutions such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research to create smart interventions to support the prudent use of resources and create smart places that enable efficient public participation. 

Technology must be adopted as a multiplier when legislatures move towards a trajectory of improved efficiencies.

Synergy for holistic development 


Climate change action is pervasive, touches various aspects of our daily lives and transcends national, provincial and local boundaries. Breaking down those barriers between spheres will be essential to achieving holistic development and oversight. By synergising efforts across different realms, either by adopting the model of an ad hoc committee framework or creating technological platforms for public participation, the legislature will create a unified force that addresses the symptoms and the root causes of societal issues.

Uphill task but achievable 


This will be an arduous task considering the relatively low base, according to various court judgments, that the legislature will start from. The Mogale and Others v Speaker of the National Assembly and Others, commonly referred to as the Lamosa 2 judgment, as well as many other court judgments, have highlighted the stark reality of the task that lies ahead for effective public participation.

The frameworks to ensure that the legislative sector achieves its constitutional objectives are in place. These include the Oversight and Accountability Model, the Public Participation and Petitions Framework, as well as the Practice Note on Public Participation. 

As deliberations at COP28 conclude, the administration that I lead must embrace the challenge of enhancing public participation, to ensure that commitments made gain traction and that South Africa’s climate change action is based on inclusivity and responsiveness. We must be a well-functioning engine that drives the role of the legislative sector in climate change action. 

Xolile George is the Secretary to the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa.

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