The historic accord reached in Paris to stop global warming would not have been possible were it not for the role South Africa played in the process‚ according to President Jacob Zuma.

On Saturday parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) adopted a historic Agreement in Paris to address greenhouse gas emission for the post-2020 period‚ while increasing countries’ ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change during the next session.

“This would not have been possible if South Africa had not delivered the outcomes it did as President of COP17/CMP7‚ held in Durban in 2011. The success in Paris is the culmination of the watershed Durban Climate Change Conference in 2011 where Parties to the Convention agreed to the mandate for the Paris Agreement‚” Zuma said in a statement on Sunday.

He congratulated South Africans for this contribution to finding solutions to a global challenge. “We also thank the United Nations for the opportunity provided to us to play this role‚” he said.

“This Agreement was also reached as South Africa chaired the Group of 77 plus China – a group of more than 130 developing countries representing more than eighty% of the world’s population. The Group is comprised of a diverse group of countries‚ but united by the goal to protect their vulnerable and poor.

“Under South Africa’s leadership the Group of G77 plus China was more united than ever before in the history of the climate change negotiations and South Africa managed to rally this group of developing countries‚ which made a decisive difference in building the political will that was required to reach agreement on this important issue‚” Zuma asserted.

He said climate change posed a grave threat to developing countries’ ability to ensure that their people were lifted out of poverty. It had therefore been a great honour for South Africa to play such a key role at both the beginning and at the end of the process through which the international community had worked toward reaching this historic solution.

The agreement presented a big step forward in committing all countries to act decisively against climate change. Through this agreement‚ hope had been restored for a safe and prosperous future‚ where climate change would be adequately addressed‚ Zuma added.

“We congratulate the South African team in Paris under the leadership of the Minister of Environmental Affairs‚ Ms Edna Molewa who was supported by Ministers Dipuo Peters (Transport)‚ Nomvula Mokonyane (Water and Sanitation) and Senzeni Zokwana (Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries)‚ Ambassador Nozipho Mxakatho Diseko (Department of International Relations and Cooperation) and other senior officials.”