'No money for climate jobs'

SOUTH Africa has spent R70billion on the arms deal, R40.3billion on the 2010 Fifa World Cup and committed R1.5trillion on future electricity production. But the government will not finance climate jobs, delegates at the One Million Climate Jobs conference heard yesterday.

SA had R70bn for arms deal, R40bn for World Cup and R1.5tn on future electricity production - but no money for climate jobs

Trade unions, social movements and environmental organisations met to discuss an alliance to campaign for the creation of one million jobs, which they believe would address both the country's unemployment crisis and curb climate change.

Under the banner One Million Climate jobs, the alliance is demanding that the South African government release funds to create jobs as it works towards a greener economy.

Said the alliance in a statement: "One million climate jobs would cost R9-billion. Research shows that there is more that R250-billion available annually to finance climate jobs.

"There is also at least R200-billion available to kick-start investment in renewable energy and other climate-friendly developments."

Speakers at the conference said there was a lack of political will to do so.

"It is clear that South Africa has money. The challenge is to channel this money into providing for our most pressing needs as people and to withstand the pressure from the minerals energy complex and international lobby to expand electricity production with no regard to climate change, human wellbeing, environmental risks or resource depletion," the statement said.

The alliance proposed that the country moves towards renewable energy, which it estimates would create more than 150,000 direct and permanent jobs in the manufacture, installation, maintenance and extension of the electricity grid to link renewable energy plants.

More than 700,000 jobs would be created if the country's transport system goes green with the expansion of the rail passenger and general freight network, upgrade of existing fleets to become more energy efficient, construction of bus rapid transit lanes, manufacture of bicycles and the construction of cycle lanes, green spaces and safe pedestrian walkways.

The alliance wants government to provide "energy-efficient, good quality" low cost housing which it estimates would create 250,000 jobs.

Jane Barrett of the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union said the reality was that at least 40% of South Africans were unemployed.

"This is not an official figure. This is a real figure," Barrett said.

- Sowetan