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Cape Town — An Inter-Ministerial Committee has been established to lead preparations for the United Nations Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP 17), said President Jacob Zuma on Thursday.

The conference, which will take place in Durban from 28 November to 9 December this year, will see several heads of states and government, as well as civil society groups attend.
The Committee will be chaired by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. She will also chair the conference. The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, will lead the South African delegation.
In response to the debate on the State of the Nation Address in the National Assembly, President Zuma said that as a developing African country, South Africa will use the conference to showcase the way in which climate change impacts on the country and Africa, as well as the responses that the country is implementing.
"We will take forward the good work done by Mexico and will approach the 17th Conference in a spirit of comprehensive and open consultation with all parties and stakeholders. This will enable us to work towards an outcome that is comprehensive and acceptable to all parties.
"As we prepare for COP 17, we will also continue implementing strategies towards cleaner technology and the green economy, including clean energy. We reiterate that every South African must save energy to avoid the need to resort to the unpopular load shedding energy conservation method," he said.
The President added that the conference will also present another opportunity for Africa to rise to the occasion, just like South Africa did when it hosted the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup last year.
"It is a timely conference for our country. Disaster events have become an increasing burden," he said.
Other members of the Committee include the Ministers of Energy, Finance, Home Affairs, Economic Development, Trade and Industry, National Planning Commission, Mineral Resources, Public Enterprises, Tourism, Science and Technology, the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal and the Mayor of eThekwini Municipality.
Meanwhile, the President will host a meeting of the UN Secretary General's High Level Global Sustainability Panel, which he will co-chair with President Halonen of Finland next week.
The Panel has a special focus on climate change as a sustainable development challenge, addressing three pillars, namely economic, social and environmental.
"The meeting will help set the tone for the climate change conference later in the year," Zuma said.