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JUST SA North West - Lillian Sefike · TIPS Podcast

• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies official podcast, Tips Talk.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: The show where we delve into the fascinating world of economics and its impact on global development.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Ndomisha Balala, and today we are asking why it is important for local and provincial government officials in the Northwest to understand the impacts of climate change and the imperative to decarbonize our economy as well as make that transition just.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: We find ourselves in Rastenberg today to see how government officials can turn policy into action.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: I'm excited to say that we have a special guest with us today.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Lillian, it's a pleasure to have you here.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: It's a pleasure to be here as well.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: So before we start the discussions around the green economy and the just transition, please introduce yourself and share a bit about the work that you do.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, my name is Lillian Sefike.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_01: I work for the Rostenberg Local Municipality.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_01: My position is a unit manager.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: I'm leading the unit that is called Integrated Environmental Management.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: My day-to-day activities and responsibilities.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_01: I'm responsible for monitoring air quality, ambient air quality in the Rastenberg Local Municipality that is within the jurisdiction of the municipality.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: Also responsible for the environmental impact assessment.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_01: When we have the development underway, what they do, they will always bring in applications so as to see whether the application or rather the development that is forthcoming is in line with our environmental laws.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_01: And lastly, I'm also responsible for environmental education and awareness, wherein climate change is part of what I'm doing.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: And for us at the moment, we are, you know, spreading the message on climate change and through our environmental education and awareness section.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: So we've had an intensive two-day training on the just transition and the green economy, where we've explored everything from how to use policy to unlock green opportunities as well as adapting strategies for a just transition.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: So, from your perspective, what were the key takeaways or moments that really stood out for you during the training?
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: Because this was not my first training on just transition as well as green economy, I've been always interested in, you know, knowing the how part.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_01: But what stood up for me was the risks that were associated with just transition.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_01: Be it you go the just transition route or not.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_01: And then when you go through the transition route, all those risks that are, you know, associated with, and how as the local government will be able to overcome those risks.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_01: And the other one is whether you don't go the route, I mean, it's just going to happen naturally.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_01: It doesn't matter whether you go the route or you don't go the route.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_01: And the only thing is just go the route and see to it that you apply whatever mechanism that we have to be able to, you know, I don't want to say to rightfully succeed, but to be, you know, in line with what is happening nationally.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_01: Because there's nothing that we can do.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_01: But I think that's what stood for me, those risks.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_01: Because when I look at them and now take it locally.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: Because what I'm interested in, I don't want to be, you know, I prefer bottom-up because that's where things are happening, local government.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: And now when we start implementing our communities will be sort of uh affected.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: The vulnerable groups, such as the people living with disabilities, we don't want people to be affected by this.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_01: So we must make sure that when we do our education and awareness, we you know apply the principle that says do not leave anybody behind.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: Take everyone along, I think.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: And building on that, I'm curious to know how do you see these just transition discussions connecting to your own work?
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: And how would you infuse the policies and the policy discussions we've had into what you do?
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_01: You know, as we deliberating on just transition, it flows quite well with what I'm doing.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_01: Because at the moment I have my own climate change strategy and greenhouse gas inventory.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_01: Though it it needs to be reviewed because it's a bit old.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_01: But now, as we go through this, I could see that they feel together.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_01: But the other thing is we have the framework, the just transition framework by the Presidential Climate Commission and DFFE.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_01: Then I think that's where, as the local government, we need to look and tap from it and develop our own, as well as the nationally determined contribution.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_01: Those are some of the strategies that are there, and we need to tap into them as well when we do the review of our climate change strategy.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_01: Because now we we speak in that the other language that talks to just transition.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_01: So alignment is very, very important.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_01: So I think for me, all these policies that we have uh discussed, you know, they will help.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_01: We will tap into them, align them with what we have now.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_01: And then, yeah, alignment will be very, very much important at this point in time with what we have.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: So, looking at your province, what do you see as the biggest opportunities or challenges in advancing a just transition?
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_01: Our province is supporting the local government as well.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_01: They are coming up with their own strategies.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_01: For instance, we will be attending the climate change strategy and implementation plan where just transition will be discussed.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_01: And I think the only challenge that we have is yes, we will be having the strategies, but now when we roll it down to the local sphere, it needs funding.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: And we don't have that.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that's the challenge.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_01: Though they are they are supporting with maybe when we are in need of a strategy, they will bring in the strategy.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_01: But now the implementation part is a problem.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_01: However, when we look at Rustin Bank Local Municipality, we have what we call a green economy team or committee.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_01: The council resolved on that committee around 2018.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_01: So after that, what we did was to package all green economy catalytic projects.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_01: And then after packaging them, then we look into each and every one of them together with our local economic development.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_01: Because this cannot be done by the unit integrated environmental management only.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_01: It needs to be mainstreamed.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_01: So after packaging those, isn't that now we're looking for funding as to which one out of the package can be classified as a green economy project?
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_01: That's where now we need assistance, maybe from national as well as provincial.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_01: District as well is helping.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_01: But you know, at this point in time, no one is coming up with funding, especially for climate change projects, as we are now heading to low carbon economy projects.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: All right, thank you so much for sharing your insights today.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: It's been great hearing your perspectives on the just transition and the green economy.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: And we really hope our listeners will walk away with new ideas and inspiration for their own work.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you once again.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: That brings us to the end of today's episode.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: A huge thank you once again to our guests for sharing their expertise and their time with us and also for attending this training.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: We hope that they'll continue to champion the mandate of greening the economy in a just and equitable way.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: And to our listeners, your support means the world to us.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for joining the Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies official podcast.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: And remember, sustainable growth is not just a goal, but a path to a more resilient and prosperous future.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to subscribe, like, leave a review, and connect with us on social media.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, I'm Domi Shabalala signing off.