Tasneem Essop

Tasneem Essop, is currently (2009) the executive director of Climate Action Network, the largest global network of over 1,300 civil society organisations, in over 120 countries, fighting the climate crisis. Essop served as a former Provincial Minister of Environment, Planning and Economic Development in the Western Cape and was responsible for the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADP) and the Department of Economic Development, as well as the Western Cape Investment and Trade Promotion Agency, Wesgro and the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board, CapeNature.

Quotes

• There is a huge risk that Parties will agree on key issues, such as the legal issue, this involves agreement to a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and for WWF we also would like to see countries agree on a mandate under the Convention track for negotiations to conclude a legally-binding agreement to be concluded no later than 2015 for all Parties.
  • she said
• We need to achieve a balanced package, and these are the critical elements. We need agreement on the future legal form, and we also need to ensure progress on long-term finance. Putting the Green Climate Fund in place is one important element.
  • she said
• There is also the need to finalise the modalities of a system to ensure transparency in the mitigation actions parties are undertaking. Finally, we need strong elements of adaptation, the Adaptation Committee, a work programme on loss and damage amongst others.
  • she said
• The South African Renewables Initiative’s focus on innovative ways to finance such scaling-up as well as how to ensure that the local economic benefits will be maximised is a good example of how transitioning to a low carbon economy is good for development and job creation in a developing economy.
  • she said