Cape Town: Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr. Dion George, is set to lead the Group of Twenty (G20) Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) as part of South Africa’s Presidency of the G20 this week.
According to South African Government News Agency, the first virtual G20 ECSWG meeting aims to provide strategic direction and foster a common understanding among G20 member states on key environmental and climate change priorities. Under the theme ‘Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability,’ the meeting will be inaugurated by Dr. George on Tuesday, where he will outline the agenda for South Africa’s G20 ECSWG Presidency and discuss the five main priorities and deliverables for the 2025 work plan.
The focus areas for South Africa’s G20 ECSWG Presidency include biodiversity and conservation, addressing land degradation, sustainable chemicals and waste management, climate change and air quality, and oceans and coastal management. The G20 ECSWG’s mission is to enhance cooperation among G20 members to tackle these pressing environmental and climate issues.
The G20, consisting of 19 countries and two regional bodies, represents a significant portion of the global population, GDP, and trade. The platform is pivotal for international economic cooperation, influencing global governance on major economic issues. South Africa’s G20 Presidency, beginning on December 1, 2024, and running until November 30, 2025, aims to build upon the achievements of previous presidencies and promote the developmental agenda of emerging market economies and the African continent.
Three G20 ECSWG meetings and one ministerial meeting are scheduled in South Africa, with the first virtual meeting from March 25-28, 2025, followed by subsequent meetings at Kruger National Park in July and Cape Town in October. Outreach and awareness activities will accompany these meetings to amplify the G20 ECSWG’s focus areas.
Additionally, South Africa plans to showcase its Kruger-Kirstenbosch-iSimangaliso Icon Status Strategy (KISS) during the Presidency, using world-class sites like Kruger National Park to highlight its environmental initiatives on a global stage.