November to December ( “WORKING TOGETHER Saving Tomorrow)

Communities writng down their demand for COP17 in Zamdela

VEJA Coordinator Samson Mokoena and other Comrades

It's been been almost 4 months now after the Climate Change Conference that was held on the 28 November - 9 December 2011 in Durban. The Conference of Parties was held under the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change. The President of COP 17/CMP 7 was Ms. Maite Nkoana-Mashabane our South African Minister of Foreign Affairs.The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC) is an international environmental treaty that was produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) (informally known as the Earth Summit) in Rio de Janeiro, June, 1992.
Climate change is considered to be one of the most serious threats to sustainable development, with the adverse impact expected on the environment, human health, food security, economical activities, natural resources and physical infrastructures. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the effects of climate change have already been observed, and scientific indicate that precautionary and prompt action is necessary
Many people in the communities still don’t know what climate change is and what are its causes and  impact. Vaal Triangle remains one of the polluted area in the Country. VEJA believes that is important to educate people about climate change since we have the biggest polluting company such as Sasol, Arcelormittal and Eskom that are putting more  greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Adding to this company we have problem of coal burning. Many people who can't afford to buy electrivity use coal for cooking and space heating. Coal is the world’s most carbon intensive fossil fuel, is anything but clean and doesn’t promote sustainable development. Just ask communities living within the vicinity of coal mines or power plants about the health problems they face due to the pollution. . People are made to believe polluting indistries brings jobs and grow because they lack knowledge. Most people are not happy with COP17 outcomes. COP17 was a waste of time and resources. It was seen  and called conference of polluters by many.  Sasol and Eskom were part of the negotiations, deciding on our future with out us. It has shown that government is only interested in protecting the interest of those who are putting profit first and greedy. 


Greenhouse gas Emission(Sasol Plant in Sasolburg)

What have done
1. Organised Community meeting
2. Youth session
3. Walk from Vaal Mall to Sasolburg
4. Participated in dirty energy week
5. Participated in people's space