The South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism held a national conference on climate change, October 2005.

Conference papers and report can be found at the department's website: www.environment.gov.za

There were two sections, the scientific and the 'consultative' which dealt with more political/social issues. Six cabinet ministers, including the Deputy President, addressed the conference. This was in preparation for Montreal. It was most encouraging that the government appears to be taking this issue seriously. The disturbing aspect was that although the scientists said that we need to start reducing the CO2 emissions by 2012 at the latest if we are to keep temperature rise below 2 degrees C, industry and many governments show no inclination to reduce the need for fossil fuel energy.