UPDATED 1 Sept: The EI library in London is temporarily closed to the public, as a precautionary measure in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The Knowledge Service will still be answering email queries via email , or via live chats during working hours (09:15-17:00 GMT). Our e-library is always open for members here: eLibrary , for full-text access to over 200 e-books and millions of articles. Thank you for your patience.
New Energy World
New Energy World embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low carbon technologies.
South Africa enacts its first climate change law
7/8/2024
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the country’s first climate change legislation that is expected to pave the way for the country’s transition to low-carbon and adapt its economy to the impacts of climate change.
The new Climate Change Bill sets out a national climate change response, including mitigation and adaptation actions, aimed at enabling South Africa to meet its emissions reduction commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement. Under its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), updated in 2021, South Africa has committed to a 31% reduction and a fixed target for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 398–510mn tCO2eq in 2025 and 350–420mn tCO2eq in 2030.
The new legislation sets out several key provisions:
- Mitigation: Establishing a national GHG emission trajectory and mandating sector-specific emission targets for major emitting industries.
- Adaptation: Coordinating efforts with provincial and local governments to address climate adaptation challenges.
- Carbon budgets: Allocating specific carbon budgets to large GHG-emitting companies, capping their emissions over designated periods.
The Climate Change Bill also seeks to reduce the risk of job losses and to promote new opportunities in the emerging green economy.
Environmental organisations welcomed the Bill’s signing into law, seeing it as a significant step towards sustainable development. Cynthia N Moyo, Climate and Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, commented: ‘The President is finally acknowledging that the carbon-intensity of our economy is unsustainable and we need to strengthen our adaptation and mitigation measures, and also accelerate our decarbonisation efforts. The Bill’s proposal to ensure there is cooperation from national level to provincial and municipality level speaks strongly to decentralised climate actions.’
Noting that ‘addressing the impacts of climate change on vulnerable groups and poor communities should be a priority in South Africa’s climate policies’, Moya expressed concerns about the inclusion of carbon credits in the new legislation. ‘Carbon credits/budgets are a false solution and an attempt at “greenwashing”. The reality is that carbon credits allow big polluters to justify their actions without taking responsibility for their emissions,’ she stated.
