United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2020-2025
The framework's overall goal is that people in South Africa live in a safe and cohesive society that protects and values environmental sustainability, which is underpinned by four (4) strategic priorities. One of these priorities is climate resilience and sustainably managed natural resources: accelerate South Africa's just transition to a low-carbon society and strengthen climate change resilience of vulnerable and marginalised communities and improve efficient and environmentally-sound management and utilisation of natural resources.
The framework is supportive of South Africa's Just Energy Transition programme, thereby contributing towards 10 YFP objectives. South Africa is considered a climate change hot-spot and projected to face a higher frequency of intense climate-related disasters. Economic growth must increasingly be balanced with climate change responses and environmental management embedded across sectors to safeguard the quality of water, air and land. The country must move to less carbon-intensive electricity production, utilise responsibly its rich endowment of natural resources and mineral deposits, improve disaster preparedness, and address developmental challenges in a manner that ensures environmental sustainability and builds resilience of particularly poor communities. Environmental considerations must be mainstreamed into social and economic decisions at all levels.
