South Africa’s contribution to the technological development of the pebble-bed modular reactor has been described as ”important” in the context of finding clean alternative fuels by the new British high commissioner to South Africa, Paul Boateng.
Speaking at a Cape Town Press Club function on the critical issue of global warming, Boateng said it is important that countries of the world share best practice in terms of cutting carbon emissions.
”It is interesting the way that South Africa is actively engaged in the development of a response to the growth of nuclear technology … and the whole question of the potential role of pebble-mill [bed] modular reactors.”
Asked if the reaction to global warming is not being stirred up by politicians — as humans did not contribute to a fight against the Ice Age — he said that global warming has been caused by humans. Carbon emissions are ”affecting the snow on Kilimanjaro” and creating desertification in parts of Africa.
Global warming has already affected the ecology of South Africa’s semi-desert area of the Karoo and the sugar production in sub-tropical KwaZulu-Natal.
The world and communities need to prepare for the changes that are to come and have to take action to protect the most vulnerable from changes in climate.
Boateng, a former chief secretary to the Treasury under Prime Minister Tony Blair’s New Labour government, said the city of London ”has been at the forefront of the development of [financial] instruments” to promote good business that fights emissions.
”The good news is that the European Union is developing its own regulatory response to that … and developing its own market across the EU.”
Acknowledging that the United States is not likely to sign the Kyoto accords ”anytime soon”, he said Wall Street has ”woken up” to the possibility of good business ”in terms of emission trading”.
People are witnessing the development of a new global market that will be increasingly significant in terms of the dollar, sterling and euro world. It is one that South Africa ”ought to be interested in too”, he said. — I-Net Bridge