Presidential Climate Commission submissions

SECTION27 recognises the importance of the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC), established by President Cyril Ramaphosa, as a critical independent, statutory and multistakeholder body in the response to the climate crisis.

SECTION27 welcomes the opportunity to have made submissions on the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) presentation. Although the draft Investment Plan proposes phasing investments across priority areas in a just manner, the presentation does not refer to the pivotal role of the health sector in caring for workers and communities and investing in future generations.

We further submitted that the education sector experiences budget cuts which further restrict the ability of schools to be climate resilient and to provide education that prepares learners for the transition to a greener economy.

In addition, SECTION27 is concerned that the JETP presentation has made no reference to the gendered nature of the impact of climate change and fails to include or specify strategies and mechanisms for gender responsive adaptation and mitigation in the transition to a greener economy.

As a public interest law centre that works to advance the rights to basic education and to access healthcare services, SECTION27’s submission advocates for a climate change response that mitigates and adapts to the climate crisis in a manner that does not further marginalise those most vulnerable. Our position is that JETP could be an opportunity for policymaking and budgeting to protect human rights of those disproportionately affected by climate change.

Our submission can be found below.