Season 12 Episode 22

David Martinon unpacks how France and South Africa are combating climate change

20 May 2025 · 35:51 min

In this Business Talk with Michael Avery interview, David Martinon discusses how France and South Africa are working together to take action against climate change. Martinon is the French Ambassador to South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi, and is a veteran in international public relations with over… thirty years of experience. He has worked with the French government for over a decade, having served as an Ambassador for Cyberdiplomacy and the Digital Economy, and as the French Ambassador in Afghanistan before assuming his current position in 2023. Martinon has also held many other important roles throughout the decades he’s worked in public service. In this Business Talk interview, Martinon outlines the path that led him to his current role as the French Ambassador to South Africa. He then explains why it's strategically important for France and South Africa to deepen their relationship relating to climate change. Martinon provides his assessment of the current global mobilisation for climate action, given that we are celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement. He also outlines how France is responding to the recent demands for greater support from developing countries during the recent COP negotiations. Martinon concludes the interview by sharing how France aims to tackle the concerns of those working in the coal mining sector when it comes to the move towards alternative energy solutions. Show more