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Climate Change News

Glencore welcomes Australian govt's investments for clean future

By: Marleny Arnoldi 18th September 2020 Diversified miner Glencore has welcomed the Australian federal government’s decision to invest A$1.9-billion in a suite of new and emerging energy technology to position the country for a low-emission future. To this end, metals and minerals will play a key role in the global transition to a... →

Environmental concerns driving industry change

By: Mamaili Mamaila 18th September 2020 A disruptive change is currently underway in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R) refrigerant market, global safety science company UL states. →

GOING GREEN Driven by environmental concerns, global promoters are advocating the phase-out of traditional refrigerants in favour of new alternatives with a lower global warming potential

Global Center on Adaptation opens regional office in Côte d’Ivoire

By: Donna Slater 17th September 2020 Hosted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) at its headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) launched its African regional office on September 17. GCA Africa will work with partners across the continent to scale and accelerate adaptation action that... →

Battery metals to boom despite widespread Covid-19 disruption

By: Donna Slater 11th September 2020 Battery metals, which are used in modern energy efficient electrical products, are playing an increasingly important role in climate change mitigation and the shift towards a lower carbon-intensive future. Battery metals, including lithium, vanadium, copper, cobalt, nickel, lead and graphite are... →

Cabinet approves establishment of Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission

By: Marleny Arnoldi 10th September 2020 Cabinet has approved the establishment of a Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission. This is in line with the Presidential Job Summit Framework Agreement signed during the Presidential Job Summit in 2018. →

Global trading platform key to unlocking competitiveness of green hydrogen

By: Terence Creamer 9th September 2020 International cooperation will be key to unlocking the competitive production of green hydrogen as global trade will be required to link those countries, such as South Africa, that are best suited to producing the energy carrier, using a combination of low-cost renewable energy, water and... →

Satellites confirm rapidly increasing ice sheet loss

By: Rebecca Campbell 9th September 2020 The European Space Agency (ESA) highlighted on Tuesday that analysis of data, much of its gathered from ESA satellites, had established that the loss of mass by the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets was matching the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s worst-case scenarios. (ESA is... →

Photo by ESA
Ice pillars floating off Greenland

juwi sponsors employee’s 7 000 km solo Atlantic rowing endeavour

By: Donna Slater 8th September 2020 Departing in December, Capetonian Zirk Botha – a former naval combat officer and adventure racer – will undertake a 7 000 km solo rowing trip from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, with renewable energy company juwi Renewable Energies South Africa sponsoring his feat. Botha, who also works... →

juwi economic development manager Zirk Botha with his boat - Ratel - at the False Bay Yacht Club.

Sasol seeks carbon-utilisation solutions for South African operations

By: Terence Creamer 4th September 2020 Energy and chemicals group Sasol has initiated a process through which it aims to identify potential partners for the development and demonstration of technologies that can utilise the carbon dioxide (CO2) produced at its South African operations as part of a broader strategy to lower its... →

World-first heat pump to launch at Electra

By: Tracy Hancock 4th September 2020 Krugersdorp heat pump manufacturer EMS Holdings will officially launch its world-first 200 ℓ low-pressure, integrated heat pump alongside its official distributor, ACDC, at Electra Mining Africa 2020 Connect from September 7 to 11. “For the first time in a long time, we have something that is... →

FRANCO DIEDERIKS Since the ease of the lockdown, sales are starting to pick up, especially among new developments and refurbishment projects

FNB cuts the carbon footprint of its branches by 50% over five years

By: Donna Slater 1st September 2020 After the adoption of carbon-cutting measures to drive energy efficiency across a network of more than 600 branches in South Africa, financial services provider First National Bank (FNB) FNB has reduced the carbon dioxide (CO2) footprint in its branches by nearly 50% over a period of five years.... →

Climate-resilient economy is necessary – Ramaphosa

By: Sane Dhlamini 24th August 2020 As South Africa tries to develop an urgent economic recovery programme, it is important that the new economy be resilient in the face of climate change. This was according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his weekly column to the nation. He said a climate-resilient economy was vital in protecting... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Increased storage crucial to mix

By: Mamaili Mamaila 21st August 2020 With South Africa aiming to move towards more diversified energy generation systems as outlined in the Integrated Resource Plan 2019 (IRP 2019), it is crucial to increase the country’s energy-storage capacities, says solar industry supplier Valsa Trading. →

A DECADE IN Valsa Trading has been in the photovoltaic solar industry in South Africa for more than ten years

Noncarbon future epitomises ideal energy mix

By: Mamaili Mamaila 21st August 2020 In about 2060, the ideal energy mix would be one with only non-carbon sources, such as wind, solar, pumped hydro and hydrogen, says global energy advisory UL. →

JAMES TRUDEAU It is “very critical” that Eskom increases its energy storage capacities to support a more diversified energy portfolio

Clean coal can still play meaningful role in S Africa

By: Mamaili Mamaila 21st August 2020 Coal is relatively cheap and widely available; therefore, if it is used cleanly and efficiently, it can be a vital part of the economic development of South Africa, says the IEA Clean Coal Centre (IEACCC). →

Photo by Creamer Media
GROWTH POINT About 18 000 jobs were created during the peak of construction at Eskom’s Medupi power plant

CFBC boiler technology viable for S Africa

By: Mamaili Mamaila 21st August 2020 The global success of circulating fluidised bed combustion (CFBC) boiler technology, suggests that this should be the technology of choice for the future in State-owned power utility Eskom’s power stations. →

SMOKE STACKS The emissions of concern in coal-fired technology are carbon dioxide, sulphur oxide, nitrogen oxide and particulates (usually fly ash of various sizes)

Eskom fully supports South Africa’s lower-carbon trajectory

By: Mamaili Mamaila 21st August 2020 The Integrated Resource Plan 2019 (IRP 2019) signals an important move to a range of fuel options for power generation in South Africa, which State-owned power utility Eskom supports. →

PHASING IN THE GREEN Eskom proposes to continue adopting a phased and prioritised approach to achieve compliance to the Minimum Emission Standards regarding particulate matter

Greenpeace condemns exploitation of yet another fossil fuel in South Africa

By: Marleny Arnoldi 19th August 2020 Commenting on the arrival of Total’s oil and gas drill rig DeepSea Stavanger in Cape Town on August 12, environmental organisation Greenpeace Africa says the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy “needs to get its story straight”. “The claim is that the drilling aims to diversify South... →

Enviro dept adopts climate change adaptation strategy

By: Marleny Arnoldi 18th August 2020 The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries has outlined a set of objectives, interventions and outcomes to enable the country to give expression to its commitment to the Paris Agreement. The National Climate Change Adaption Strategy (NCCAS) outlines the required climate action and... →

Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy

SANEDI says cool roofs could combat higher GHG emissions in South Africa

By: Simone Liedtke 7th August 2020 Much progress still needs to be made on the road to a more sustainable world, with South Africa facing hotter and drier summers, and continued high levels of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions when compared with the rest of Africa, says South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI).... →

Aerial view of a 'cool roof'.

Climate change must be considered when granting water use licences, says Water Tribunal

By: Simone Liedtke 5th August 2020 A landmark decision by the Water Tribunal confirms that water licensing authorities must consider the impacts of climate change when deciding whether or not to grant water use licences for new coal-fired power stations. In a decision handed down on July 21, the tribunal upheld an appeal to set... →

Penguin guano seen from space leads to discovery of new colonies

By: Bloomberg 5th August 2020 Satellite-mapping technology that detects stains on the ice from penguin droppings has revealed there are nearly 20% more Emperor colonies than previously identified in fast-warming Antarctica. Eleven new colonies of the species were found, taking the census to 61 across the polar continent,... →

Sasol calls for bids for 10 MW solar plants at Mpumalanga, Free State operations

By: Terence Creamer 3rd August 2020 Chemicals and energy group Sasol has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the development of two embedded solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities of 10 MW apiece at its operations in Secunda, in Mpumalanga, and Sasolburg, in the Free State. The closing date for submissions is Friday, October 2. →

The Secunda complex

SKF targets full carbon-neutral manufacturing by 2030

By: Marleny Arnoldi 31st July 2020 Bearing manufacturer SKF is aiming to have its factories carbon neutral by 2030, the Swedish group has announced. The company has already decreased its manufacturing carbon footprint by 36% since 2015 and is operating two carbon-neutral factories. →

Increasing infrastructure investment would boost South Africa’s potential growth, OECD survey asserts

By: Terence Creamer 31st July 2020 Higher levels of infrastructure investment are needed to increase South Africa’s potential growth, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD’s) latest survey of South Africa asserts. Released on July 31, the report warns that the South African economy could contract by as... →

OECD says tourism sector has big jobs potential, but will need support until the middle of 2021

Researchers build AI tool capable of identifying individual birds

By: Schalk Burger 27th July 2020 New research demonstrates for the first time that artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to train computers to recognise individual birds; a task humans are unable to do. Researchers from the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, based at the University of Cape Town (UCT); the French... →

Hulamin becomes first aluminium semi-fabricator to achieve emissions milestone

By: Donna Slater 9th July 2020 Aluminium products manufacturer Hulamin reports that it has become the first global aluminium semi-fabricator to have a greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions target approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The SBTi mobilises companies to set science-based targets and boost their... →

Shift from high- to low-carbon must be systematic and just – Mantashe

By: Terence Creamer 9th July 2020 South Africa’s Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, used the platform created by the International Energy Agency (IEA) Clean Energy Transitions Summit on July 9 to stress that South Africa’s shift from a high-carbon to a low-carbon path needed to be both systematic and just.... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe

Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission seen as key to navigating South Africa’s ‘just transition’

By: Terence Creamer 7th July 2020 A member of South Africa’s National Planning Commission has called for the Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission to be established, arguing that such a multi-stakeholder institutional platform is required to implement the just transition vision outlined in the country’s National... →

GreenCape partners with Swiss foundation to promote cleantech companies

By: Marleny Arnoldi 7th July 2020 Green economy solutions company GreenCape has entered into a collaboration agreement with Solar Impulse Foundation through the International Cleantech Network (ICN). GreenCape will help the foundation to find, select and promote 1 000 clean and profitable solutions that contribute to protecting... →

Nedbank launches SDG-linked capital instrument

By: Marleny Arnoldi 6th July 2020 Nedbank has launched a new “green” tier two capital instrument that is linked with sustainable development goals (SDG), which is the first of its kind in South Africa. The instrument is linked on the green bonds segment of the JSE. →

Standard Bank shareholders re-elect nonexecs despite Just Share concerns

By: Marleny Arnoldi 26th June 2020 Financial services provicer Standard Bank Group has welcomed the reappointment of all its nonexecutive directors, including those that were alleged to be climate change conflicted by activist organisation Just Share. Standard Bank earlier in June reiterated its commitment to a climate-related... →

Electric vehicle rally to maintain demand for battery metals despite Covid-19

By: Donna Slater 19th June 2020 Although subdued as a result of Covid-19, demand for battery metals, including cobalt, lithium and copper, will remain strong as a result of growth in the global electric vehicles (EV) market, business intelligence company CRU UK cobalt, lithium and battery markets senior analyst George Heppel... →

Cogen technology heating up in Africa

By: Tracy Hancock 12th June 2020 South Africa needs to realise that the rest of Africa is becoming more business friendly, and it may no longer be the sole gateway to Africa, which is showing noticeable demand for co-generation (co-gen) technology, says heat generation technology specialist Steam Generation commercial director... →

PLANTATION POTENTIAL Steam Generation receives many enquiries from Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania, which is known for its tea plantations that present potential for the supply of biomass and co-gen technology

Commonwealth urges members to focus on care of seaborne economies

By: Donna Slater 9th June 2020 Commonwealth secretary-general Patricia Scotland urges governments to ensure their countries’ post-Covid-19 economic recoveries are environmentally sustainable and safe for the ocean. She also asks that they reform their development of strategies in a way that supports vibrant and sustainable... →

Standard Bank denies conflict of interest claims

By: Marleny Arnoldi 8th June 2020 Standard Bank has reiterated its commitment to a climate-related risk approach and defended its board members, after activist organisation Just Share questioned the election or re-election of directors that have ties to fossil fuel operations. The organisation said seven of Standard Bank’s 18... →

Giant spill in Russia offers a glimpse of the Arctic’s future

By: Bloomberg 8th June 2020 Investigators have determined that the leakage of of 20 000 t of diesel (about 150 000 barrels) from a reservoir at a power plant in Russia’s Far North was caused by damage from thawing permafrost—just the latest sign of the catastrophic effects climate change is having in the Arctic. “Entire... →

MacLean Engineering and Maestro Digital Mine bring underground connectivity to the MacLean Research and Demonstration Facility

How to address the “New Normal” of Factory Automation in Food Manufacturing

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