Climate Change Act now a reality in South Africa
In South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Climate Change Act which spells out the country’s national climate change response.
Introduced in February 2022 and adopted by the National Council of Provinces in April 2024, the Climate Change Act gives effect to mitigation and adaptation actions which constitutes the country’s fair contribution to the global climate change response.
The South Africa Climate Change Act enables the alignment of policies that influence the country’s climate change response. This ensures the country transitions to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy and society is not constrained by policy contradictions.
The law is meant to enhance the country’s ability and capacity over time to:
Climate Change Act and the Paris Agreement
The Act is also meant to strengthen coordination between national sector departments and provide policy setting and decision-making to enable South Africa to meet its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The NDCs are a set of commitments the country has made under the international Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of climate change mitigation.
South Africa is one of more than 190 members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change who are party to the eight-year-old Paris Agreement.
South Africa’s mitigation measures are a response to climate change impacts that are increasingly experienced across sectors, including:
These impacts disproportionately affect poor communities and vulnerable groups. They could affect the country’s ability to meet its development and economic growth goals, such as job creation and poverty reduction.
Presidential Climate Commission
The Climate Change Act also spells out the functions of the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC).
The PCC provides advice on the Republic’s climate change response to ensure the realisation of the vision for an effective climate change response and a long-term just transition to a climate-resilient,?low-carbon economy and society.
The Act also stipulates the role provinces and municipalities will play in mitigation efforts. They will be required to understand and map climate risks and vulnerabilities and then develop a plan for responding.
The Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister also has to develop and publish a national adaptation strategy after consulting with other ministries.
The effect of South Africa’s NDCs on climate change
Meanwhile, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, said the country is working on its second set of NDCs. It will also update and submit its first Biennial Transparency Report.
“We will contribute our fair share and not make false promises that we are unable to keep,” George said at the Brazil, South Africa, India and China (BASIC) Ministerials Meeting, ahead of the 8th Session of the Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action (MoCA) taking place in Wuhan, China.
George said South Africa is focused on implementing ambitious actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including through the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP).
Implementing the plan includes actions around electricity, electric vehicles and green hydrogen. South Africa is also interested in partnering with BASIC and other countries towards its implementation, said George.
“The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) with some developed countries is only a small component of our much larger energy transition plan, which in turn is only one sector of the all-of-economy and all-of-society just transition we seek in line with the COP28 UAE Vision.
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Setting up the legal framework to respond to climate change
“Our Parliament has adopted a Climate Change Bill [and] since 2011, when we outlined South Africa’s response to climate change in our National Climate Change Response White Paper, we have been putting in place the components of an integrated response.
“Now, this Bill will integrate all of these components into a robust legal framework, and mainstream climate action across government,” George said.
For South Africa, progress is required in terms of emission reduction obligations, adaptation commitments and the means of implementation “to ensure that we are on track to achieving the 1.5-degree target, and that support for both adaptation and loss and damage will address all likely outcomes.”
The DFFE Minister said the country believes that COP29 should enable enhanced, effective and sustained international cooperation on both adaptation and mitigation (equally treated), to achieve the missing ambition in climate actions to date.
“Developed countries’ commitment to providing adequate support to developing countries, is key for the Paris Agreement to be truly applicable to all. The global North should ensure no backtracking on support obligations,” the Minister said.
FAQs on Climate Change Act in South Africa
Is it a Climate Change Act or Bill?
The Bill was the proposal for the Act (essentially the draft). Now it has been signed into law, it is the Climate Change Act that gives effect to the rules and policies.
What is the point of the Climate Change Act?
The Act sets up the framework to reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions and ensure the country adapts to climate change risks.
What is South Africa doing to fight climate change?
The South African Cabinet has approved a set of climate actions, including creating a Presidential Climate Commission, South Africa’s Low Emissions Development Strategy, a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, a Carbon Tax, and a Just Transition Framework.
What is the climate action plan in South Africa?
The plan?focuses on investment in electricity infrastructure, new energy vehicles, green hydrogen, skills development and municipal electricity distribution. It emphasises that the transition must be underpinned by engagement and in partnership with workers, communities, business and civil society.
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Business Dev. Manager | VUKA Group | Enlit Africa | ESI Africa | Trusted partner of choice for Africa's energy transition.
7 个月It's encouraging to see South Africa's comprehensive approach to tackling climate change through the Climate Change Act. The law's emphasis on enhancing coordination and policy alignment across sectors is key to achieving a just and inclusive transition to a greener economy.