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Climate change mitigation expert Rina Taviv |
In celebration of World Environment Day - a United Nations initiative - the Department of Geography at Unisa presented a seminar on the impending crisis of climate change, and the necessary tools to keep our planet and its inhabitants safe and healthy. CSIR environmental specialist, Rina Taviv, was one of the invited speakers.
The event was themed 'Kick the habit! Towards a low carbon economy.' It highlighted resources and initiatives that promote low-carbon economies and life-styles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, agricultural conservation and eco-friendly consumption.
Taviv's presentation, Should Africa contribute to climate change mitigation?
dealt with the still unexplored study area of developing countries' roles in mitigation of climate change. "Africa and its people should stop feeling helpless victims of climate change," she says.
Since the event was organised by the Unisa College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Taviv concentrated on the options available for the South African agricultural sector and made recommendations for climate change mitigation in Africa.
Among others, her presentation examined ways in which the South African government is currently addressing the issue. It also investigated the progress and success stories over the past few years in finding ways to address climate change without compromising development and growth.
"Research indicates that some land use mitigation options will lead to cheaper results than traditional mitigation technologies in the energy and industrial sectors (except energy efficiency), and these options are a win-win, no regrets solutions with co-benefits, such as reduced air and water pollution, water conservation, and others."
Her recommendations for climate change mitigation policies for developing countries include:
- Establishing cooperation between different government departments led by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT)
- Extending cross-boundary agreements on biofuels and other resource developments
- Promoting sustainable bioenergy use combined with fire control
- Promoting sustainable agricultural practices (low tillage, green sugar cane growing, and others)
- Following a holistic use of marginal land (e.g. conversion of subsistence livestock farming into game farms).
"In my presentation I deliberated, among other things, the controversial issue of biofuels and a precautionary approach for South Africa, as well as the mitigation options that are suitable for our country," Taviv says. The recent study titled 'Long-term Mitigation Scenario' includes quantification of the mitigation potential that could be achieved by sustainable land use management. The results of this study are now available on the DEAT's web site. This study suggests the following:
- Massive efforts are required to achieve mitigation required by science (30-40% of 2003 levels by 2050).
- Modelling of a wide variety of mitigation options has been done and some options that have negative costs should be implemented immediately (such as energy efficiency).
- A carbon tax should be introduced, which would have the biggest single impact on cutting emissions.
Enquiries: Rina Taviv or CSIR Communications
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