Green Connection: Green hydrogen no answer to climate crisis
The Green Connection has described President Cyril Ramaphosa's solutions to the climate crisis in his State of the Nation Address as disappointing.
The civil society organisation says while they welcome the remarks by Ramaphosa on the dangers of extreme weather patterns such as the recent flooding in KwaZulu-Natal, the government’s words need to be matched by concrete actions.
Ramaphosa delivered his State of the Nation Address at the Cape Town City Hall on Thursday evening.
The president said South Africa “should be positioning our economy for future growth in a world shaped by climate change and a revolution in green technologies”.
Ramaphosa also announced the establishment of a Climate Change Response Fund to address the persistent effects of global warming.
"This transition was inspired by the persistent calamities that we've been subjected to. Almost every year KZN experiences massive floods that destroy our infrastructure,” he told MPs.
Neville Van Rooy, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Green Connection, says the government needs to make use of renewable energy.
He says they are concerned that green hydrogen is being touted as one of the solutions.
"The people of the Northern Cape are very much concerned about this green hydrogen because it is a threat to the water scarcity in the area as well as the land that will be taken from people that they have just gotten back recently.
"The challenge is green hydrogen is a false illusion and definitely not the answer for the people of the Northern Cape.
"The president needs to hold the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries and the Department of Mineral Resources accountable for continuing the climate crisis with more fossil fuels.”
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