The cost for South Africa of hosting COP 17 will, it is estimated, amount to some 400 million rand (approx. €40 million). The funds will be used to provide meals, transport, security, conference facilities and accommodation for the expected 20,000 delegates over the 12 days of the conference.
Alongside this, expectations of a clear and positive result from the conference remain low as the ongoing standoff between rich and poor countries over signing up to a second Kyoto agreement before 2020 (an effective deferral of the agreement – something developing countries are against). Environmental observers and analysts along with activist NGOs say such a delay could prove fatal for climate change.
The debates in Durban during the conference follow the publication of two recent reports – one from the Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change (warning of increased temperatures leading to increased extreme weather events) and the other by the UN World Meteorological Organisation (whose annual greenhouse gas bulletin recorded the highest level of greenhouse gases sine pre-industrial times).
More resources:
- For a South African view on COP17 see the Mail&Guardian (SA) newspaper special feature at https://mg.co.za/specialreport/cop17-durban-2011
- IPCC and rise in extreme weather events (the Guardian, 18 November 2011 ) https://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/18/extreme-weather-climate-change-ipcc
- The Climate Change Conference 2011 website and online resources https://www.cop17-cmp7durban.com/