Caption: Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa with her counterparts from Brazil, India and China (BASIC)  at the sidelines of Cop 22 in Marrakech. (Photo credit: Department of Environmental Affairs Twitter account)

Heads of states, government, and delegations, gathered in Marrakech, Morocco, for the High-Level Segment of the 22nd Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to discuss climate and sustainable development.

Climate change continues to be a topical issue around the globe and countries pledged to cooperate in fighting this scourge.

United Kingdom Minister of State for Climate Change and Industry, Nick Hurd, said that the UK is accelerating the Paris agreement (from Cop 21.)

“The United Kingdom is ratifying the historic Paris Agreement so that we can help accelerate global action on climate change and deliver on our communities to create a safer, more prosperous future for all,” said Hurd.

“COP 22 in Marrakech is an important milestone which makes the shift from aspiration to implementation,” he added.

South African Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa told delegates that the rainbow nation is implementing strategies to combat the fast changing weather patterns.

“South Africa is putting in place a mitigation system to realise the opportunities of a low carbon economy. We are investing heavily in renewable energy, energy efficiency and green transport opportunities. We are also developing our national adaptation strategy to guide our transition to a climate resilient society,” said Molewa.

“South Africa has the utmost confidence that we will achieve our collective goals under the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. We know that there is no viable alternative to collective multilateral action,” Molewa added.

The conference aimed at the Marrakech Action Proclamation which serve as the mechanism to nations.

Climate change is not bizarre to Southern Africa, as this region is faced with the historic drought, varying temperatures and floods. Last week in Gauteng, the urban flooding claimed six lives, left 50 homes damaged and dozens of vehicles swept away.