South African minister tipped for top UN climate role

The South African government confirmed yesterday that it has nominated the country's tourism minister, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, to replace Yvo De Boer as head of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) when he steps down in July.

Van Schalkwyk had previously served as minister for environmental affairs and tourism and has been heavily involved in international climate change negotiations. A statement released by his office confirmed that he had accepted the nomination.

The announcement comes after a day of speculation in the South Africa press following reports that a number of countries and NGOs had called on Van Schalkwyk to apply for the soon-to-be-vacant UN role.

Van Schalkwyk is now likely to be amongst the favourites to secure the position, having proved himself a popular figure during last year's increasingly fraught negotiations.

"He would be acceptable to most people, so he should definitely be counted as a favourite," one Copenhagen negotiator told the local Mail & Guardian.

There has been a general consensus that following the tensions between industrialised and poorer countries that marred last year's Copenhagen Summit, the next head of the UNFCCC should come from a developing country.

There have also been reports in India that environment minister Jairam Ramesh has nominated Indian environment secretary Vijai Sharma for the role, and his nomination is believed to be supported by China.

However, an Indian or Chinese nomination is likely to be opposed by the US and EU, which remain angry at both country's negotiating tactics during the final days of the Copenhagen Summit.

As such, Van Schalkwyk is likely to be regarded as a potential conciliatory candidate, securing the support of the many Africa countries that will be most directly affected by climate change and providing a potential link between the US and Europe and the so-called BASIC group of emerging economies, of which South Africa is a member alongside Brazil, India and China.

His nomination chances will be further bolstered by the likelihood that South Africa will host next year's main UN climate change summit where diplomats still hope an international treaty agreed later this year in Mexico can be formally adopted.