This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Statement on South African Summit
04/09/2002
Important international agreements were reached at the
World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg,
Parliament was told today.
In a statement on his return from a three-day visit to
South Africa, First Minister Jack McConnell said he was
particularly encouraged by the agreement to halve the
number of people without access to clean water and
sanitation by 2015.
He said progress was also made on promoting sustainable
patterns of production and consumption, while the "biggest
disappointment" was the lack of any clear targets for the
use of sustainable energy.
"We will not let this discourage us from pressing ahead
with out own ambitious target of 40 per cent of Scottish
electricity generation from renewable resources by 2020,
announced only a few weeks ago."
Full text of Mr McConnell's statement
Presiding Officer, in June 2001, President Thabo Mbeki
spoke in this Parliament and said:
"I should like to believe that the Scottish
parliament respects the history of South Africa and
wants to sustain the tradition and that those who
represent the Scottish people will raise their voice
and
say "We cannot have an extraordinary situation of
enormous wealth in one place and extraordinary poverty
in another.""
So it gives me great pleasure to report to Parliament
today after representing Scotland and the UK at the World
Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa.
I had a clear set of objectives in mind when I decided
to attend the Summit. Objectives with a real relevance to
our devolved powers and to Scots.
Firstly I wanted to embed our devolved government's
renewed emphasis on Sustainable Development. We have made
progress in recent months - making Sustainable Development
an integral part of this year's Spending Review, massively
increasing our ambitions for the generation of electricity
from renewable sources and our intention to increase
significantly the proportion of waste being recycled. This
is important progress but we must keep up the momentum.
Scotland's engagement in the World Summit helps us do just
that.
Our second priority was to use the summit to further
engage with South Africa on schools.
Third, we wanted to promote business links with South
Africa, particularly on energy issues.
I am pleased to report to Parliament that, contrary to
the predictions of complete failure, important
international agreements were reached.
I am particularly encouraged by the agreement on water
and sanitation - halving the number of those without access
to clean water and sanitation by 2015. Two million children
die each year in developing countries from water-borne
diseases. Delivering the target will be a huge undertaking
but one likely to make a significant contribution to
reducing this appalling and avoidable death toll.
Progress was also made on promoting sustainable patterns
of production and consumption - perhaps the most important
element of global sustainable development policy. In
Scotland, we will firm up our commitment in this area when
we announce our spending decisions on recycling. I was also
encouraged by developments on adjusting the status of
international environment treaties to give them equal
status with WTO rules.
The biggest disappointment for me though was lack of
clear targets on the promotion of sustainable energy.
However we will not let this discourage us from pressing
ahead with our own ambitious target of 40% of Scottish
electricity generation from renewable sources by 2020
announced by Ross Finnie only a few weeks ago.
When attending the Summit Sessions, I heard the address
of the President of Tuvalu - a small island state in the
Southern Pacific and perhaps the most exposed State in the
world to the threat of Global Warming and the associated
sea level rise. Already they are feeling the effects. The
President told us that a few months ago 10 metre waves
swept right across the main island in calm conditions and
at low tide.
This brought home to me how important it is that we
drive forward with our renewables policy. Not just because
of the benefits for the people of Scotland and our economy,
but also because of our duty to take part in the collective
effort to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and help people
much more immediately exposed than we are to the threat of
Global Warming.
To maximise the benefits to Scotland of attending the
summit, I took the opportunity to pursue a number of
educational initiatives. I met again the South African
Education Minister, Kader Asmal to follow through on our
commitment to a pilot teacher interchange project.
We agreed the basis for the initiative and Cathy
Jamieson will announce the details soon. I also had an
opportunity to address a UNESCO conference on "Educating
for a Sustainable Future" where I set our vision for
Scottish education in this area.
These were extremely valuable contacts, building on our
strong links with South Africa.
But the absolute highlight of my visit to South Africa
was a visit to Banareng Primary School in Atteridgeville
Township in Pretoria. There I met an outstanding and
inspirational head teacher - Pauline Sethole - who has
almost single handedly turned around school attendance by
creating an "edible curriculum" as she calls it. In this
extremely poor area, the hot meal provided by the school -
grown by the children in the school garden - is often the
only meal they get.
It is a very real example of an eco-school and I hope
that the e-mail link up with the Royal School of Dunkeld
will be only the start of Scottish support for Banareng and
other schools; and a further boost to Scotland's important
role in the development of eco-schools world-wide.
We made real progress with my proposal for Scottish
Power, the Department for International Development and the
Government of the Eastern Cape to explore the potential of
a green energy project in Eastern Cape. The aim would be to
assist with access to new electricity supplies, show local
people the potential of renewable energy and develop their
skills in operation and maintenance. As the UK's biggest
developer of renewable energy, Scottish Power is well
equipped to export its skill and expertise in developing
and operating wind farms to the Eastern Cape.
I am very grateful to their Chief Executive, Ian
Russell, for his personal commitment to this project. I had
a very positive meeting with Enoch Godongwana, the Minister
for Economic Affairs and Environment in the Eastern Cape
who was highly enthusiastic about the prospects.
In Sasolburg yesterday, I saw at first hand an example
of the existing links between Scotland and South Africa. I
toured the Sasol plant in which the products from the
collaboration between the company and St Andrews University
will be applied. I know that the company is hugely
impressed by the talent and skills available in
Scotland.
I made a point of meeting and listening to the local
community because business and industry have historically
been part of the environmental problem and it is vital
therefore that we involve them in becoming part of the
solution. In the long run, healthier communities benefit
business too.
Presiding Officer, one of the things that has most
impressed me about the last few days is the way in which
the main Scottish players have a common agenda. I would
like to place on record the excellent contribution made by
the Scottish Civic delegation in sharing Scottish ideas and
in learning from others. I know that our young earth
champion, Stephanie Wiseman from Shetland, has learned a
great deal from her experience and she has represented
Scotland's school-children extremely well.
The UK delegation worked together effectively keeping us
involved in the discussions and always open to our ideas. I
should also pay credit to the British High Commissioner in
South Africa and her staff. In particular my thanks go to
Brigadier Mike Raworth and Staff Sergeant Tony Myers who
guided the Scottish team so smoothly through our busy
programme.
- Participating in the UK delegation and the
Summit
- 3 meetings with South African Ministers
- 3 visits - educational, environmental and
economic
- 3 links developed - educational, environmental and
economic
- and 3 speeches to major events
In 3 days, a very worthwhile investment of time and
energy, extremely well organised.
The outcome of this Summit will not generate the
excitement of Rio de Janeiro ten years ago - but no one
should underestimate the challenge of reaching agreement
among so many nations with differing and sometimes
conflicting aspirations. When, as a guest speaker, I
attended the Youth Earth Summit in Soweto on Sunday, the
passion of young people there for a sustainable future was
clear and unambiguous.
Presiding Officer, I hope this Chamber will join with me
in affirming that we in Scotland will not shirk from our
responsibility. Within our devolved powers we will take
action to assist the UK in meeting their obligations. But
we must not see the targets and ambitions of this summit as
maximum standards. I am determined that here in Scotland we
will see them as the minimum contribution we can make in
achieving Sustainable Development at home and abroad.
We can, we must and we will do more.