2009-09-22

Johannesburg - The impact of climate change is devastating in Africa and will severely undermine development and poverty eradication efforts, President Jacob Zuma said in a message to the 64th session of the UN General Assembly.

Zuma will attend and address the opening of this year's UN General Assembly due to resume on Wednesday in New York.

He said climate change affected agricultural yields, and therefore food security.

"It affects people's access to water in an already water-stressed region. Rural people are compromised by the impact on ecosystems that support their livelihoods."

Coastal areas would be flooded

Coastal areas would be flooded, affecting people's homes and livelihoods and damaging coastal infrastructure.

Zuma said these developments affected every aspect of society - social, economic and environmental.

"We need to act now to ensure there is a global agreement on this critical challenge.

"The global agreement should be guided by a shared vision. It should be inclusive, fair and effective," he said.

Climate, poverty are one problem

Zuma said the agreement should recognise that solving the climate problem could not be separated from eradicating poverty.

He said the agreement should be based on sound science.

"It must strike a balance between adaptation and mitigation, and it must address the means of implementation."

Zuma said another agreement on new, additional, sustainable and predictable financing for adaptation was needed.

"On mitigation, the agreement must contain ambitious, quantified, and legally binding emission reduction commitments by developed countries."

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