Nkoana-Mashabane promises tangible results for COP17

COP 17 President Maite Nkoana-Mashabane (SABC)

Tags:

• COP 17
• Maite Nkoana-Mashabane
• Climate Change
• Global Day of Action
• March
• Kyoto protocol
• Carbon Emissions

COP 17 President Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has promised protesters that the climate change summit underway in Durban will deliver tangible results. About 5 000 activists took part in the Global Day of Action march.

They called on world leaders to find a compromise in securing the Kyoto protocol. It is a legal binding agreement between countries on the reduction of carbon emissions.

 A memorandum was handed over to Nkoana-Mashabane. The activists have vowed to continue their fight for climate justice as the conference continues this week.

 Security was tight in Durban as the protesters brought the CBD to a standstill. They marched on the sidelines of the COP 17 conference.

This cannot be a world conference in which everybody came just to have a nice time

Environmentalists are concerned that COP 17 will end up being just another talk shop. A "barren" COP with no binding deal - will be a slap in the face for Africa and the rest of the developing world.

Congress of the South African Trade Unions general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi says: "We demand action and not tourism. This cannot be a world conference in which everybody came just to have a nice time.”

Delegates will spend next week in a battle to extend the Kyoto Protocol.