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Developed economies must do more to tackle climate change
President Cyril Ramaphosa has re-emphasised the call for developed economy countries to fulfil their pledge to assist developing nations in their transition to low carbon economies.
The President was addressing the nation through his weekly newsletter.
“While the nations of the world agreed in Paris in 2015 on urgent actions to limit global temperature rises and mitigate the impact of climate change, the effects of climate change are being increasingly felt with greater ferocity.
“Although developed economy countries promised to support developing economies as they transition to low-carbon, climate resilient societies, this support has not been forthcoming at the scale and with the urgency that is needed.
“Among other things, wealthy countries have not provided the promised finance that vulnerable countries need to adapt to climate change and to cover the cost of the loss and damage caused by climate disasters,” he said.
Last week, on the sidelines of the recent United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), UN Secretary General António Guterres held a Climate Ambition Summit.
President Ramaphosa said South Africa used the summit to “reiterate our long-stated position that developed economy countries must fulfil their obligations and honour their past promises to developing economy countries”.
“This is not about charity. It is about economic and social justice. Africa’s people are literally paying the price for the industrialisation and development of the countries of the north.
“It is also about shared interests because the economic and social havoc caused by climate change will make the world more unstable, less secure and will increase competition for scarce resources like water and food,” he said.
Self-development
President Ramaphosa emphasised that although developed countries share the responsibility to assist developing nations, Africa is taking steps to ensure its own climate change resilience.
“As African countries, we cannot be bystanders to our own development. We are putting the necessary measures in place to de-carbonise our respective economies while pursuing sustainable development.
“The transformation of the energy landscape in Africa is a priority. As African countries, we have called on the international community to support efforts to increase the continent’s renewable energy capacity while ensuring energy security for Africa’s people.
“This needs to take place alongside increased investment in smart, digital and efficient green technologies in carbon-intensive sectors such as transportation, industry and electricity,” he said.
The President described South Africa’s own efforts towards de-carbonising the country’s carbon intensive economy.
“As South Africa, we want to use our abundant solar and wind resources to position our country at the forefront of the clean energy transition.
“Regulatory reforms undertaken by this administration have resulted in a confirmed pipeline of renewable energy projects that are expected to produce in excess of 10 gigawatts of electricity,” he said.
A just transition
President Ramaphosa added that de-carbonisation of economies must be “just and inclusive” and also be consistent with “our national circumstances and development plans”.
He warned that some measures like the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism – aimed at increasing tariffs on imports produced through carbon intensive processes – may “simply further increase the vulnerability of developing economies”.
“This is likely to have a significant impact on South African producers, increase the costs of South African exports into European markets and reduce our economy’s competitiveness.
“In my address to the Climate Ambition Summit, I said that trade mechanisms must enable products from Africa to compete on fair and equitable terms. Trade tariffs and non-trade barriers that have an environmental purpose should be the product of multilateral agreements,” he said.
President Ramaphosa said while South Africa remains committed to “contributing our fair share to the global climate change effort”, the circumstances of developing countries must “must be taken into account”.
“To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, unity of purpose and action between countries is vital, as is a common commitment to multilateralism in the global climate change effort.
“Ultimately, no country should be forced to choose between climate action and meeting their developmental aspirations,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Tue, 09/26/2023 - 09:24
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Developed economies urged to accelerate climate action
President Cyril Ramaphosa says developed economy countries, in particular, must act with urgency to accelerate the reduction of emissions, fulfil their obligations and honour past promises.
The President was speaking at the Climate Ambition Summit on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA.
The President told world leaders that Africa has witnessed with increasing alarm the effects of climate change, environmental degradation, unsustainable production and resource scarcity on human health and well-being.
“As countries across the globe seek practical ways to build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple crises, we are presented with an unprecedented opportunity to set the global economy on a more equitable, environmentally sustainable and low-carbon developmental trajectory.
“Despite having little responsibility for causing global warming, Africa is warming faster than the rest of the world. Like other parts of the Global South, the continent is significantly affected by climate change. As such, climate actions cannot be separated from the drive for sustainable and inclusive development,” President Ramaphosa said.
The President science sends a clear message that the world is not on track to meet the goals contained in the Paris Agreement. He emphasised that this Climate Ambition Summit must instil the necessary urgency and propel the actions that are needed now to prevent the destruction of the planet and the devastation of societies.
Earlier this month, African leaders adopted the Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action, which recognises that decarbonising the global economy is an opportunity to contribute to equality and shared prosperity.
To achieve this vision of economic transformation, African leaders have called on the international community to support efforts to massively increase Africa’s renewable energy capacity by 2030.
“They are seeking investment in smart, digital and efficient green technologies to decarbonise the transport, industrial and electricity sectors in African countries.
“They have called for support to strengthen actions to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, deforestation and desertification. And to boost agricultural yields through sustainable agricultural practices,” the President highlighted.
Structural reform to promote just and inclusive transitions
President Ramaphosa said structural reform is needed to promote transitions that are just and inclusive.
He said global and regional trade mechanisms must enable products from Africa to compete on fair and equitable terms.
“Trade related environmental tariffs and non-tariff barriers must be the product of multilateral agreements. They must not be unilateral, arbitrary or discriminatory.
“The multilateral financial system must build resilience to climate shocks and better leverage the balance sheets of multilateral development banks to scale up concessional finance. Developing economy countries also require new, predictable public finance to support climate adaptation and build resilience to loss and damage.”
The system, President Ramaphosa said, needs to provide interventions for debt management and relief to prevent debt default.
“The actions necessary now must not place an undue burden on the citizens of tomorrow.”
The President emphasised that financing for climate action should respect the right of all countries to pursue their own development pathways, while taking into account their specific national circumstances.
“As South Africa implements its ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution, which is aligned to the Paris Agreement temperature goals, we see new opportunities for green growth and development.
“With abundant solar and wind resources, with significant reserves of critical minerals, South Africa is positioning itself to be a leader in renewable energy, green hydrogen and sustainable industrialisation,” he said.
Due to regulatory changes and a surge of investment, South Africa has a confirmed pipeline of renewable energy projects in development that are expected to produce in excess of 10 gigawatts of electricity.
South Africa has also established a Just Transition Framework to ensure that climate actions adhere to principles of procedural, restorative and distributive justice.
“We are committed to building resilience to the impact of climate change and reducing our emissions in ways that are appropriate to our national circumstances and development pathways.
“As South Africa, and as the African continent, we are working to give substance to our assertion that no country should ever have to choose between development aspirations and climate action,” he said.
President Ramaphosa called on the summit to demonstrate that the leaders of the world are committed to ambitious climate actions that are inclusive, comprehensive and leave no one behind. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Thu, 09/21/2023 - 11:24
Officials working to ensure smooth payment of grants in October
Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Mondli Gungubele says officials are working around the clock to ensure that next month, social grant beneficiaries are not affected by payment delays experienced this month.
Gungubele said that the two departments -- Social Development, and Communications and Digital Technologies -- and their agencies, understand the regrettable strain that the grant payments challenges experienced this month has caused the most vulnerable in society.
In this regard, he reiterated government’s sincerest apologies to all social grants beneficiaries, who have encountered difficulties accessing their social grants this month.
The Minister said he was pleased to report that Postbank assured them that all South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grant beneficiaries, who were affected by the system challenge, have now been corrected.
“Today, we are delighted to report that Postbank has provided us with the assurance that, according to their records, all SASSA grant beneficiaries, whose accounts were adversely affected by these system challenges on the 5th and 6th of September, have now been corrected.
“These funds are readily available in the accounts of these beneficiaries and if not withdrawn, can be accessed through bank ATMs, retailers and Post Office branches,” the Minister said.
Gungubele said once the beneficiaries’ money is paid into their Postbank bank accounts, they can access the money at any time convenient to them.
He said that this is a normal bank account and clients do not need to withdraw their money all at once. Clients can also use the SASSA gold card to purchase goods at merchants.
Responding to a question on why other beneficiaries remain without their September payments, the Minister said they are going to follow up on the recipients that have not received their grants.
Hijacking grant challenge for personal gain
Gungubele addressed numerous accounts and statements circulating on various platforms, misrepresenting the root cause of the Postbank system challenges that affected social grant recipients’ Postbank accounts this month.
“We want to place it on record that these stories are false and generally fabricated. The root cause of Postbank’s system challenges that affected the September social grants payments to some beneficiaries, which have now been resolved as of the 6th of September, relate to Postbank’s migration to a new system,” he said.
The Minister said Postbank’s systems upgrade programme, of which the recent migration forms a component thereof, has been unfolding for a while in line with its 2022/23 as well as 2022/23 Corporate Plans, and it is also a South African Reserve Bank requirement, as part of Postbank’s banking license application process.
“Social grant beneficiaries are also urged to ignore the false information that the September payments challenges are as a result of the expired SASSA card. The Reserve Bank has granted extension for the SASSA cards to continue to work until December 2023, so beneficiaries can continue to use the same cards,” he said.
The Minister said that the departments and their entities will regularly update SASSA beneficiaries on the details of the card replacement programme.
New Postbank Board to be appointed
Gungubele has assured social grant beneficiaries and the nation that the changes in the Postbank Board will not have an impact on any of the banking operations or the capacity of the Postbank.
Gungubele explained that the Postbank Board is an oversight body appointed by the Minister as non-executive directors, so they are not involved with the executive level of decisions or day-to-day operations of the bank.
“The ministry has already commenced with the process of filling the vacant Postbank Board vacancies, and an advertisement for nominations has been issued.
“In the interim, and to ensure that decisions that reside within the delegation of authority of the board are enabled, the ministry has appointed Khayalethu Ngema as the Postbank Administrator until a new Board is appointed,” Gungubele said.
The Minister concluded that they are actively taking measures to prevent future challenges in the banking ecosystem, and in particular for social grant account holders.
“Our commitment to the welfare and well-being of our social grants beneficiaries remains unwavering.
“We are investing in robust technology infrastructure, enhancing communication and collaboration among relevant agencies, and strengthening oversight mechanisms to ensure the uninterrupted flow of grant payments to those who depend on them most,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
DikelediM
Thu, 09/21/2023 - 14:28
Malicious objects of all types were detected and blocked on 34% of Industrial Control System (ICS) computers in the first half of 2023, according to the ICS CERT landscape report (https://apo-opa.info/3LwG719) by Kaspersky (www.Kaspersky.co.za). In Africa over this period attacks were detected on 40,3% of ICS computers, placing it in first place among the other regions. The top industries under attack were energy (45,9%), engineering & integration (44%) and building automation (40%). All these attacks were blocked after detection.
ICS computers are used in oil & gas, energy, automotive manufacturing, building automation infrastructures and other spheres to perform a range of operational technology (OT) functions – from the workstations of engineers and operators to supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) servers and Human Machine Interface (HMI). Cyberattacks on industrial computers are considered to be extremely dangerous as they may cause material losses and production downtime for the controlled production line and even the facility as a whole. Moreover, industrial enterprises put out of service can seriously undermine a region's social welfare, ecology and macroeconomics.
An analysis of the most significant and targeted threats detected on ICS computers in selected countries of Africa in the first half of 2023 shows that the threat landscape can vary between countries and between industries due to the differences in the security maturity of different countries/industries and the current focus of threat actors. In South Africa in the first half of 2023 malware was detected and blocked on 29,1% of ICS computers, in Nigeria on 32,6%, in Kenya on 34,5% of machines.
There are different types of cyberthreats that OT-related computers face – malicious scripts, spy trojans, worms, ransomware, and others. In the first half of 2023 Africa had the highest percentage of ICS computers on which spyware was blocked (9,8%). The Middle East and Southeast Asia had similarly high percentages (8,3% and 8,1%). The global average stands at 6,1%.
Africa was also the region with the highest percentage of ICS computers (14,8%) on which attacks from denylisted Internet resources were blocked (these are web resources associated with distributing or controlling malware). The global average is 11,3%.
Viruses and worms spread across ICS networks by means of removable media, shared folders, infected files, such as backups, and network attacks on outdated software. The percentage of ICS computers on which worms were detected was very high in Africa (7% vs. 2,3% global average), making this region the leader by percentage of ICS computers on which threats were detected after removable devices were connected.
“Africa's industrial landscape is diverse, ranging from large-scale mining operations to small-scale agriculture. This means that ICS cybersecurity solutions need to be adaptable to various sectors and technologies. In some regions, legacy ICS systems that lack modern security features are still in use. These systems are often more vulnerable to cyberthreats and require significant upgrades. Lastly, some critical infrastructure in Africa is located in remote areas with limited connectivity, which can make it difficult to monitor and secure ICS assets effectively,” comments Evgeny Goncharov, Head of Kaspersky ICS CERT. “By understanding these risks, organisations can make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and efficiently fortify their defenses. In doing so, they not only protect their bottom line but also contribute to a safer and more secure digital ecosystem for all.”
Read more about the ICS threat landscape in the first half of 2023 on the Kaspersky ICS CERT website (https://apo-opa.info/3LwG719).
To keep your OT computers protected from various threats, Kaspersky experts recommend:
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kaspersky.
For further information please contact:
Nicole Allman | INK&Co.
nicole@inkandco.co.za
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About Kaspersky:
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. Kaspersky's deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company's comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection, specialized security products and services, as well as Cyber Immune solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help over 220,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.Kaspersky.co.za.
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In a digital landscape fraught with cyber threats, the imperative for updated cybersecurity strategies in public institutions has never been more pressing. Recent high-profile cyber incidents, such as the ransomware attacks targeting key South African entities including the City of Johannesburg (https://apo-opa.info/3LvDAnI), Transnet (https://apo-opa.info/3Lwf1r3), and the Department of Justice (https://apo-opa.info/44Yl6U6), have underscored the vulnerability of public sector organizations and State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) to the relentless pursuits of hackers and cyber criminals. To address this critical issue head-on, the stage is set for the upcoming Public Sector Cybersecurity Summit 2023 (https://apo-opa.info/3rc4GK1) (#PubliSec2023), scheduled for October 3rd in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Download the document: https://apo-opa.info/3t0Z7hY
Interpol's African Cyberthreat Assessment Report for 2021 (https://apo-opa.info/3t0Z7hY) cast a stark light on the situation, revealing that cyber attacks exact a staggering R2.2 billion toll on South Africa annually. Further compounding this statistic, an insightful report by Accenture on digital safety (https://apo-opa.info/3ZoGVuB) divulged that South Africa contends with an average of approximately 577 malware attacks per hour.
The significance of the cyber threat is neither localized nor restricted. The African Union encountered a crippling cyber onslaught (https://apo-opa.info/3rnX4Eb) earlier this year, resulting in the paralysis of its systems and rendering employees bereft of access to both work emails and the broader internet. Meanwhile, efforts to disrupt the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) (https://apo-opa.info/46iSXIo) and the country's major financial institutions were thwarted by Ethiopian authorities in 2022. Shumete Gizaw, the director-general of the Ethiopian Information Network Security Agency (INSA), underscored the gravity of the situation, revealing that a staggering 37,000 interlinked computers used by financial institutions had been targeted in the failed cyber attacks.
In the wake of this alarming surge of cyber incursions on public sector domains, the clarion call for proactive cybersecurity strategies has become resonant. Government departments, agencies, and State Owned Enterprises must now recalibrate their cybersecurity outlooks and undertake substantial investments in infrastructure, skills development, and cutting-edge technology. These proactive measures will be pivotal in not only mitigating existing vulnerabilities but also in erecting robust barriers against potential future attacks.
The Public Sector Cybersecurity Summit 2023 (https://apo-opa.info/3rc4GK1) offers a rallying platform for stakeholders invested in safeguarding public sector interests against the escalating tide of cyber threats. By participating in this significant event, attendees will gain exposure to the latest insights, best practices, and case studies that collectively form the bedrock of effective cybersecurity measures. The summit also presents an invaluable networking opportunity, where attendees can connect with peers and solution providers to exchange perspectives, challenges, and innovative strategies.
To register for the summit and secure your seat among the vanguard of cybersecurity resilience, visit https://apo-opa.info/3rc4GK1.
For organizations aiming to amplify their participation and engagement in this pivotal cybersecurity discourse, sponsorship opportunities are available. To explore these avenues further, download the summit brochure at https://apo-opa.info/3rc4GK1. The Public Sector Cybersecurity Summit 2023 is a watershed moment in fortifying the digital defenses of government entities and State Owned Enterprises. The journey towards cyber resilience begins here.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of IT News Africa.
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