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Climate Change News

PwC says South African companies must integrate, internalise ESG for long-term sustainability

By: Schalk Burger 23rd May 2022 The environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of businesses can have a direct impact on societal wellbeing and University of Oxford Sustainable Finance Programme research shows that an increase in company-level ESG performance can result in a positive effect on a country’s living... →

Rich nations offer debt guarantees on South African climate deal

By: Bloomberg 20th May 2022 A group of the world’s richest nations offered South Africa debt guarantees as part of a proposed $8.5-billion deal designed to cut the nation’s reliance on coal for power generation, people familiar with the talks said, potentially resolving one sticking point in the negotiations. The guarantees... →

SA Weather Service allocated R100m to ensure 'state of the art' forecasts

By: News24Wire 19th May 2022 The South African Weather Service will be allocated R100-million over three years to upgrade its infrastructure with modern radar technology used in detecting severe storms, says Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Barbara Creecy. The minister tabled her department's budget vote for... →

Photo by Donna Slater
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy

Steel industry carbon emissions to drop nearly a third by 2050 – WoodMac

By: Reuters 17th May 2022 Carbon dioxide emissions from the world's steel sector will fall 30% by 2050 compared with last year as more mills turns to less-polluting electric arc furnaces (EAF), consultancy Wood Mackenzie (WoodMac) said in a study on Tuesday. Around 48% of global crude steel will be made via EAF by 2050,... →

IFC partners with Rameda to ‘green’ its pharmaceutical business in Egypt

By: Donna Slater 17th May 2022 The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is partnering with Egypt-based pharmaceutical producer Rameda, to support the company’s strategy to “green” its operations and improve its production efficiencies to boost the company’s productivity. Through the partnership, the IFC will help Rameda –... →

Newly rebranded DFI launches in Kenya

By: Darren Parker 13th May 2022 The newly rebranded UK government’s development finance institution (DFI) British International Investment (BII) was launched on May 12 at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Nairobi, Kenya – one of the DFI’s most important markets. The event was attended by BII CEO Nick O’Donohoe and... →

Global warming made S Africa's recent floods twice as likely – study

By: Reuters 13th May 2022 Global warming made the heavy rains behind South Africa's devastating floods last month twice as likely as they would have been if greenhouse gas emissions had never heated the planet, scientists said on Friday. Flash floods around the east coast city of Durban killed 435 people, left tens of... →

Tracker technology increases PV efficacy

By: Halima Frost 13th May 2022 The Genius Tracker from solar energy equipment supplier GameChange Solar can increase a solar photovoltaic (PV) installation’s harnessing efficacy by up to 25% as opposed to a static tracking system. The single axis tracker can be installed on slopes of about 7%, “but it could be designed to... →

A long row of solar panels of specially designed Genius trackers supplied by Gamechange solar at an installation in South Africa

TOP TRACKER The Genius Tracker offered by GamChange solar increases harnessing efficiency on a solar panel by about 25%

AVEVA commits to net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030; net-zero Scope 3 emissions by 2050

By: Schalk Burger 12th May 2022 Industrial software provide AVEVA has committed to achieving net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and to have net-zero Scope 1,2 and 3 emissions by 2050, AVEVA Europe, Middle East and Africa global head of digital acceleration Michele Cacciari said this week. "A proper sustainability message... →

New infrastructure vulnerable to climate change owing to mismanagement, corruption

By: Darren Parker 10th May 2022 New infrastructure was just as vulnerable to climate change as ageing infrastructure, said South African Local Government Association (Salga) senior climate change adviser Slindile Maphumulo on May 10. She explained that, while ageing infrastructure was vulnerable to being damaged or destroyed... →

Groups welcome expiry of enviro authorisation for proposed coal-fired power station

By: Donna Slater 10th May 2022 The Pretoria High Court confirmed, on May 3, that the environmental authorisation for the planned 600 MW KiPower coal-fired power station had expired, meaning the proposed power station cannot be built. KiPower was intended to be built outside Emalahleni, in Mpumalanga – a region with poor air... →

Mbalula recommends a people-centred just transition

By: Schalk Burger 5th May 2022 Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has said a just transition is about improving the lives and livelihoods of all South Africans, particularly those that are bearing the brunt of climate impacts, and protecting and empowering workers and communities, as the country navigates the shift away from... →

Photo by Reuters
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula

Deforestation, forest degradation responsible for 10% of yearly human-made carbon dioxide – report

By: Donna Slater 4th May 2022 A scientific assessment of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD+) policy finds that while REDD+ has provided a “convenient umbrella” for many forest and land use-related activities aimed at reducing deforestation and forest degradation,... →

South Africa seeks to make climate finance deal global benchmark

By: Bloomberg 4th May 2022 South Africa’s planned $8.5-billion climate finance deal with some of the world’s richest nations could serve as a blueprint for other coal-dependent countries, the head of its negotiating team said. The potential funding, which will be made available over three to five years, was announced at... →

Photo by Bloomberg
Daniel Mminele

Rich nations scramble to seal coal transition deals before COP27

By: Bloomberg 3rd May 2022 As they prepare for the next round of global climate talks in November, officials from rich countries are trying to pull together a series of multibillion-dollar packages to help poor countries phase out coal. But negotiations have been snarled by national politics and Russia’s war in Ukraine,... →

Local sanitation industry development funding, incentives needed

By: Tracy Hancock 29th April 2022 Industry development funding and incentives by government for local manufacturers at the forefront of next-generation sanitation products, such as NEWgenerator sanitation system manufacturer WEC Projects, will help achieve the scale needed to alleviate pressure on South Africa’s failing sewage... →

CATERING TO REMOTE COMMUNITIES The NEWgenerator sanitation system provides effective sewage treatment where infrastructure is lacking

Rethink of local waterborne sewage system unavoidable

By: Tracy Hancock 29th April 2022 As a water-scarce country, a rethink of South Africa’s waterborne sewage system is inevitable, owing to the threat of climate change, with the country’s overall water security partially hinging on its sanitation security. This is according to South Africa’s premier water knowledge hub, the Water... →

QUALITY CONTROL The Water Research Commission is working with several sanitation industry stakeholders to develop a mark scheme that would allow for local ISO 30500 accreditation and certification

Goldman analysts say another $2.8tr needed for climate

By: Bloomberg 28th April 2022 Additional annual investments of $2.8-trillion are needed in low-carbon technologies and infrastructure to help the world meet net-zero emissions goals, according to analysts at Goldman Sachs Group. A global carbon price, continued focus on sustainability in the capital markets and improved... →

Standard Bank signs climate change, financing of emissions information resolution

By: Schalk Burger 26th April 2022 After extensive engagement with shareholder activism organisations Just Share and Aeon Investment Management, financial services firm Standard Bank has agreed to the wording of a shareholder-proposed nonbinding, advisory resolution that Standard Bank, over a three-year timeframe, provides... →

Clean coal a ‘figment of the imagination’, says Olver

By: Darren Parker 26th April 2022 The concept of clean coal is a figment of the imagination, according to science, said Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) Secretariat executive director Dr Crispian Olver on April 26. “There is no such thing,” he said, speaking at the PCC-JSE Financial Sector Forum on Just Transition Framework... →

PCC Secretariat executive director Dr Crispian Olver

Thirty semi-finalists announced for Afri-Plastics Challenge to reduce marine plastics

By: Schalk Burger 20th April 2022 Thirty semi-finalists have been announced for the Promoting Change strand of the Afri-Plastics Challenge that aims to reduce marine plastics in sub-Saharan African countries by developing and scaling innovative solutions to plastic mismanagement, innovation foundation Nesta Challenges says. The... →

KZN floods: 'Climate change is here', warns Dlamini-Zuma

By: News24Wire 19th April 2022 Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma says the devastating flooding that occurred in KwaZulu-Natal is a sign of climate change, adding that flooding in the province has worsened over the last five years. "These floods are the worst we have seen in living... →

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

Mavuso calls on business, govt to urgently restore transport connections in KZN

By: Darren Parker 19th April 2022 The flood damage in KwaZulu-Natal reflects a lack of application of existing regulations and poor maintenance of infrastructure, said Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso on April 19. In her weekly newsletter, she noted that infrastructure had failed because it had not been kept in... →

Russia’s war in Ukraine puts global energy transition at crossroad

By: Bloomberg 19th April 2022 Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is upending the global transition away from fossil fuels in the fight against climate change. In some ways, the war is slowing the shift and giving old energy new life. In others, it’s bolstering the argument that adding more electric vehicles to roads and installing... →

Generators still reliable, affordable option

By: Tracy Hancock 15th April 2022 Generators will always be an option as long as standby power is needed in South Africa, says generator importer and distributor Smith Power Equipment national product and sales specialist Michele Cicognani. While companies are becoming more aware of alternative standby power options, owing to the... →

SIZE MATTERS Incorrect sizing is the most common mistake made by companies when buying a generator

Absa assures stakeholders targets for reducing GHG exposure are coming

By: Marleny Arnoldi 14th April 2022 Financial services provider Absa Group has fallen behind its peers in adopting policies around climate change and fossil fuel financing, activism organisation Just Share reports. The nonprofit organisation explains that the bank published a “Coal Financing Standard” in April 2020 and a... →

Earthlife Africa engages communities on Just Transition Framework

By: Donna Slater 14th April 2022 Nonprofit organisation Earthlife Africa is requesting increased grassroots-level engagement and popular education on the energy-related Just Transition Framework to ensure ordinary people in South Africa understand the issues relating to climate change and the just transition. Over the past few... →

ArcelorMittal studies 100 MW renewables projects for Gauteng and Western Cape

By: Terence Creamer 13th April 2022 Steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa has initiated feasibility studies for two 100 MW renewable energy projects to supply electricity to its existing facilities in Gauteng and the Western Cape. The studies should be finalised during 2023/2024, the company said in a statement. →

Photo by Creamer Media
ArcelorMittal South Africa CEO Kobus Verster

Global governmental clean energy spending up 50% over past five months

By: Darren Parker 12th April 2022 The International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) Sustainable Recovery Tracker’s latest update shows that clean energy spending earmarked by governments in response to the Covid-19 crisis had risen by 50% over the past five months to more than $710-billion worldwide. However, “troubling” imbalances... →

Photo by Bloomberg
IEA executive director Dr Fatih Birol

Retaining refining capacity could pose long-term risks for South Africa

By: Darren Parker 8th April 2022 South Africa’s oil refining capacity has always been rather small when considered on a global scale, but there was some sense of national pride and of security in knowing that the country could deliver – even if most of the crude input had to be imported. While local refineries were never able to... →

Engineering News and Mining Weekly cover image

Partnership launched to overcome climate resiliency barriers in energy, water

By: Donna Slater 6th April 2022 A joint project to accelerate South Africa’s energy and water transitions to be more efficient and sustainable – the South African Industry Adaption (SAIA) project – was officially launched on April 5 between the government of Belgium (through the embassy in South Africa – Flanders) and the... →

Metals, new mine investment required now to support future energy transition

By: Donna Slater 5th April 2022 Despite the significant energy intensity required to mine metals, the commodities are still “essential for the energy transition to succeed”, says BHP market analysis and economics VP Dr Huw McKay. He says that, although having a common goal of limiting global warming to below 2 °C of... →

Dairy farmers eye carbon credits while curbing emissions

By: Reuters 5th April 2022 On South Africa's Lancewood dairy farm, a GPS-guided tractor spreads cow manure across defined areas where tilling is banned and fertilizer used at a minimum, if at all. Some 2 500 Jersey cows graze on a selection of plants, from chicory to lucerne (alfalfa), that have been planted for feed... →

‘Misallocated’ global capital raises climate risk, UN report warns

By: Bloomberg 5th April 2022 The world’s leading climate finance experts and economists warn of a “persistent misallocation of global capital” as too much money continues to pour into fossil fuels and too little is channeled to clean energy. In its latest assessment of global efforts to contain climate change, published... →

Planet’s breakneck warming likely to pass 1.5°C, UN scientists warn

By: Bloomberg 5th April 2022 The international goal to limit global heating to 1.5° Celsius is officially on life support. A United Nations-backed panel of climate scientists warned in a new report released Monday that the world may be on track to warm by more than 3°C — twice the Paris Agreement target —in a change that... →

Global report forecasts 5.4 GW of new wind additions in South Africa to 2026

By: Terence Creamer 4th April 2022 The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) is forecasting that South Africa will add 5.4 GW of new wind capacity over the coming five years to the end of 2026, even though procurement delays will lead to lower levels of deployment in 2022 when compared with 2021. GWEC’s ‘Global Wind Report 2022’ notes... →

Sequestration crucial for local forestry, paper industries

By: Cameron Mackay 1st April 2022 Industry body Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (Pamsa) executive director Jane Molony highlights that in the National Treasury’s Budget Review in February, sequestration was recognised to include carbon sequestered in the forest, and carbon stored in harvested wood products, such... →

An image of Mondi's wetland conservation in South Africa

FIBRE-BASED SOLUTIONS A key mitigation measure in local industry is to replace fossil fuels used at the mills with biofuels such as tree biomass residues from plantations

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