Call for collective climate action at G20 meeting

DEPUTY Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Narend Singh, has warned that the world is rapidly running out of time to meet critical sustainability and climate targets and called for accelerated, coordinated global action.

- NICOLA MAWSON

Speaking at the recent G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting in Skukuza, Kruger National Park, Singh stressed the urgency of delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and broader climate objectives.

"We are less than five years away from our deadline to achieving the SDGs and the end of this critical decade for climate action," he said. "Yet we are still far from attaining these goals and action targets."

According to the Sustainable Development Goals: Country Report 2023 prepared by Statistics South Africa, South Africa's progress towards meeting the SDGs is mixed. While the country has made strides in education, healthcare, water, sanitation, electricity and gender equality, significant challenges remain, especially in addressing poverty and inequality, which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Singh pointed to rising poverty levels, increased pollution from hazardous chemicals, and record greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 as indicators of global failure.