ABSTRACT This paper adopts the logic of concentric circles to unpack the multi-level approach that characterizes South Africa’s interface with climate change. The post-1994 South Africa interacted with climate change at multiple levels. At some points, South Africa’s response to climate change is guided strictly by the dictates of its overriding national interests. At another, it is a question of either serving a continental ‘representative’ or ‘leading voice’ for groupings of major importance within the global South regarding climate change. Also, South Africa’s climate diplomacy on the global scene ranks relatively high when compared with the scenarios concerning other emerging and even a good number of industrialized economies. Therefore, it is not certain how the policy emphasis is shifting radially across the interest-chain of South Africa’s relations in the context of climate change. As a key finding, this paper argues that South Africa’s super-state posture leaves one to wonder how constructively altruistic is the country’s climate diplomacy.

中文翻译：

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南非气候外交同心圆

摘要本文采用同心圆的逻辑来解开表征南非与气候变化的界面的多层次方法。1994年后的南非在多个层面与气候变化互动。在某些时候，南非对气候变化的反应严格地以其压倒一切的国家利益为指导。另一方面，这是为全球南方在气候变化方面具有重要意义的群体提供大陆“代表”或“领导声音”的问题。此外，与涉及其他新兴国家甚至许多工业化经济体的情况相比，南非在全球范围内的气候外交也相对较高。因此，尚不确定在气候变化的背景下，政策重点如何在南非关系的利益链中径向转移。作为一项重要发现，本文认为，南非的超级国家姿态让人们怀疑该国的气候外交如何建设性地利他主义。