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Climate Change News

Proactively managing South Africa’s energy transition

10th September 2019 In this article, South African Independent Power Producer Association (SAIPPA) members Tommy Garner and Brenda Martin outline the organisation’s approach to the energy transition and explains the programme it is launching to manage the transition. →

The massive cost of not adapting to climate change

By: Bloomberg 10th September 2019 Slowing the planetary march toward climate catastrophe – and the multitrillion-dollar investment required to avoid it – has become a central issue of global and national debate. But there’s the equally expensive matter of dealing with the here and now: From historic wildfires to unprecedented... →

Opinion: Climate ‘apartheid’ is looming large

By: Martin Zhuwakinyu 6th September 2019 In this opinion piece, Engineering News Senior Deputy Editor Martin Zhuwakinyu writes about the impact of climate change on the poor. I doubt if many people in Mzansi know of Philip Alston. The Australian-born international law expert and human rights campaigner is the United Nations’ (UN’s)... →

Company to use virtual reality to enhance offering for refineries

By: Mamaili Mamaila 6th September 2019 Spray technology distributor Monitor Engineering is currently ordering a virtual reality system that will enable the company to show clients how its spray nozzles and spray systems operate in their applications. →

WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY While 4IR may bring about the reality of job losses, it could also present added benefits that the country may not be aware of as yet

Foundation celebrates 25 years of success in used oil recycling

6th September 2019 More than 1.5-billion litres of hazardous used motor oil has been kept out of the environment. →

COLLABORATION It is imperative that ROSE works alongside government to ensure we help shape legislation which will benefit all stakeholders in the oil industry

IMO regulation a hurdle for local oil refineries

By: Mamaili Mamaila 6th September 2019 The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) 2020 regulation has prescribed for a large reduction in the maximum sulphur content of bunker fuels which presents a challenge for South African oil refineries. →

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE Oil refineries have to comply with the minimum emission standards as stipulated in the national Air Quality Act

Wild weather has 12m Southern Africans facing hunger

By: Bloomberg 2nd September 2019 As many as 9.2-million people in southern Africa face severe food insecurity as a result of extreme weather conditions, and the number is forecast to rise to 12-million by March, according to the United Nations. “Parts of southern Africa have experienced their lowest rainfall since 1981,” the... →

How hydrogen could solve steel’s climate test and hobble coal

By: Bloomberg 30th August 2019 Steel could shed its reputation as a climate threat by using hydrogen instead of fossil fuels for as much as half of global output by 2050, according to BloombergNEF. The steel industry could adopt hydrogen for between 10% and 50% of output by mid-century given the right carbon pricing,... →

Post-harvest tech expands to fire sector

By: Cameron Mackay 30th August 2019 While on-site industrial gas generation solutions provider Gas at Site has traditionally focused on the post-harvest sector using technology – referred to as controlled atmosphere – that controls the concentration of atmospheric gases to store fruit at low oxygen levels, this technology can also... →

FIRE SUPPRESSION ACCEPTANCE The challenge lies in presenting this solution, which cannot be seen, compared to solutions which can be physically seen such as foam or sprinkler systems

Africa has opportunity to mitigate climate change through renewable energy - UN

By: Marleny Arnoldi 28th August 2019 The United Nation’s (UN’s) 2019 Climate Action Summit, to be held next month, in New York, should deliver a solid plan of action to ensure radical changes with regard to climate change, says UN climate special envoy Luis Alfonso de Alba. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and de Alba will... →

South African beverage sector aiming for cleaner production

By: Tracy Hancock 23rd August 2019 National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA) is joining forces with nonprofit organisation Beverages Association of South Africa (Bevsa) to support and accelerate its members’ efforts to reduce their carbon emissions, save water, limit waste and embrace renewable energy and green... →

CLEANER AND GREENER The food and beverage industry should explore how to be part of the transition to green enterprise and green economy

DBSA, Green Climate Fund collaborate on green banking programme

By: Marleny Arnoldi 22nd August 2019 The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have signed an agreement that will kick off a programme to accelerate investments into climate projects and break market barriers in Southern Africa. The companies say the agreement seals the GCF’s $56-million... →

Desalination plant battle: City of Cape Town hits back, asks court to dismiss R50m lawsuit

By: News24Wire 21st August 2019 The City of Cape Town has asked the Western Cape High Court to dismiss legal action launched against it by the company that built a desalination plant at the V&A Waterfront. Quality Filtration Systems (QFS) filed court papers in June, suing the City for alleged breach of contract valued at more... →

Greenpeace says Mpumalanga a sulphur dioxide emissions hotpot

By: Marleny Arnoldi 19th August 2019 Environmental organisation Greenpeace’s India branch says Kriel, in Mpumalanga province, in South Africa, is the second-largest global hotspot for sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions, mostly owing to the 12 coal-fired power stations in the province. The branch commissioned a study using the US’s... →

DEFF clarifies intent of tender to review GHG emissions guidelines

By: Simone Liedtke 16th August 2019 The main objective of a tender, issued by the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), calling for service providers to take a fresh look at the country’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions guidelines and carbon space allocation, is to review the GHG Emission Performance Guidelines,... →

Researchers highlight climate change risks for South Africa

By: Schalk Burger 16th August 2019 Scientists from the South African Weather Service (SAWS), the National Research Foundation (NRF), policy makers and government officials discussed South Africa's research on, and responses to, climate change and its complex regional and global impacts on society, economy, politics, animals and... →

Standard Bank power project lending policy ‘disappointing’ – Just Share

By: Marleny Arnoldi 14th August 2019 Responsible investment organisation Just Share executive director Tracey Davies has described the Standard Bank Coal-Fired Power Finance Policy, which was released on July 31, as “disappointing”. At a Standard Bank annual general meeting in May, 55% of shareholders voted in favour of the bank... →

KZN to ‘mainstream’ efforts to mitigate climate change

By: African News Agency 14th August 2019 KwaZulu-Natal will be mainstreaming efforts to mitigate climate change in the province following several years of its deadly and costly results, premier Sihle Zikalala said on Wednesday. Zikalala was delivering the opening address at the provincial climate change and sustainable development... →

KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala

South America’s glaciers may have a bigger problem than climate change

By: Bloomberg 14th August 2019 Government geologist Gino Casassa steps down from the helicopter and looks around in dismay. Casassa is standing at the foot of a glacier, 4 200 m above sea level. The sky over the Andes is a deep blue, but something is not right: It’s July – mid-winter in South America – and yet it’s mild for... →

UN report warns climate climate may lead to food shortages

By: Bloomberg 8th August 2019 Climate change is putting the world’s food supply at risk. With more extreme weather events, stable food production will increasingly be imperiled, threatening the poorest populations first, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said in a report Thursday. In addition, the push to use more... →

CBA joins global push to limit emissions by cutting coal exposure by 2030

By: Reuters 7th August 2019 Commonwealth Bank of Australia became the latest company to join a global push to reduce emissions and said it would phase out its exposure to thermal coal or power plants by 2030. The company announced a new environmental and social policy in its annual report released on Wednesday, emphasising... →

Mpact expects difficult trading conditions to continue

By: Simone Liedtke 7th August 2019 Paper and packaging group Mpact’s investments over the last four to five years, specifically in its paper business, enabled it to produce good results for the six months ended June 30, despite a difficult trading environment, CEO Bruce Strong told Engineering News Online on Wednesday. The paper... →

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Mpact CFO Brett Clark (left) and CEO Bruce Strong (right)

Power-starved Zimbabwe, Zambia face further drought-induced dark

By: Bloomberg 6th August 2019 The Kariba dam that straddles Zambia and Zimbabwe, the world’s biggest man-made reservoir, is emptying fast, sparking fears the countries may have to cut hydropower production there completely. For the two southern African nations already suffering daily blackouts and growing economic pressures... →

SA researchers highlight complexity of climate change research and responses

By: Schalk Burger 2nd August 2019 Scientists from the South African Weather Service (SAWS), the National Research Foundation (NRF), policy makers and government officials this week gathered at the National Science Week to discuss South Africa's research on, and responses to, climate change and its complex regional and global... →

Driving EVs in Africa

By: Tracy Hancock 26th July 2019 Compared with the rest of Africa, South Africa has the most electric vehicles (EVs) on the road and the most extensive charging infrastructure, with new additions being made by a range of stakeholders and interest groups. This is according to the information available on EVs in Africa, says... →

EVs demand remains low in local industry

By: Tracy Hancock 26th July 2019 Demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in South Africa remains low, mostly owing to the high cost of the limited options available to South African motorists. The Electric Vehicle Industry Association indicaties that of the about 12.5-million registered vehicles on South Africa’s roads, 1 000, or... →

RESOLUTION NEEDED South Africa can benefit from strengthened efforts to foster the partnerships and political will required to support existing intentions to grow the electric vehicle industry

Mining executives split on who bears burden of climate change

By: Bloomberg 25th July 2019 The mining industry is starting to split on who bears responsibility for all the carbon emissions caused by smelting iron-ore into steel. The debate came to the forefront this week after BHP Group’s chief said miners need to tackle their role in global warming through the products they sell. The... →

Federation looks forward to salary negotiations

By: Mamaili Mamaila 19th July 2019 With the end of the three-year main agreement last month, Steel and Engineering Industries Federation (Seifsa) looks forward to restarting salary negotiations with other industry stakeholders. →

SIBUSISO MTHENJANA Companies want to know their rights and legal obligations towards employees

Fuel cell developments poised to transform PGM, manufacturing sectors

By: Martin Creamer 17th July 2019 Global developments in the fuel cell sector, which have begun to move at a far faster pace than expected after decades of build-up, are poised to transform South Africa’s platinum group metals and manufacturing sectors, a well-attended fuel cell conference heard on Wednesday. Speakers at the... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Veronica Creamer
Dr Ferdinand Panik

‘Monetisation’ of risks will be key to transitioning from climate awareness to resilience

By: Terence Creamer 16th July 2019 The City of Cape Town’s ‘Day Zero’ water crisis of 2018, as well as the deadly Cyclone Idai, which ravaged parts of Mozambique and Malawi in March, has increased awareness about the need to begin investing in climate-resilient infrastructure. To transition from awareness to implementation,... →

Mott MacDonald global head of climate resilience services Ian Allison

Climate change takes priority in Creecy’s budget vote debate

By: Nadine James 12th July 2019 Newly appointed Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy delivered her R7.5-billion budget vote statement in the National Assembly on Thursday, emphasising the socioeconomic threat of climate change, as more than two-million South Africans are directly dependent on the... →

New combustion emission monitoring equipment offered to Africa

By: Cameron Mackay 12th July 2019 Mining, industrial and processing solutions provider RTS Africa Technologies is the exclusive supplier of laser-based online gas analysers and monitoring recording equipment, from Norwegian company NEO Monitors; as well as, more recently, a range of both multiple channel and portable instruments,... →

IAN FRASER South Africa needs to grasp the new wave of global automation more firmly

Flexible modular drive system added to range

By: Cameron Mackay 12th July 2019 Automation solutions provider Schneider Electric has added the new Altivar Process Modular (APM) drive system to its range of Altivar Process variable-speed drives (VSDs), which were displayed at the company’s stand at the Africa Automation Fair, held in Johannesburg last month. “This is a... →

DRIVE FOR FLEXIBLE LOADS The APM drive system provides flexibility for end-users in terms of late changes to the load in the design and installation phase of a project

‘Weak’ carbon tax to be significantly strengthened from 2023 – Treasury official

By: Terence Creamer 9th July 2019 A leading National Treasury official has warned industry to prepare for a significant strengthening of South Africa’s carbon tax during the second phase of implementation, which will begin in January 2023, describing the first phase, which came into force on June 1, as “weak”. South Africa’s... →

Photo by Creamer Media
National Treasury deputy director-general Ismail Momoniat

IEA energy efficiency commission gathers expertise from all walks of life

By: Marleny Arnoldi 9th July 2019 Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Baradkar has been elected the honorary chairperson of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) newly established Commission for Urgent Action on Energy Efficiency. The independent high-level global commission is set to examine how progress on energy efficiency can be... →

This easy climate fix has more potential than previously thought

By: Bloomberg 5th July 2019 A simple climate fix may be hiding in plain sight: 3.5-million square miles of land capable of supporting new forests and removing 750-billion tons of carbon dioxide from the air. The amount raises the potential upper bound for carbon renewal enough to make international reforestation goals... →

Low carbon economy requires policy overhaul

By: Mamaili Mamaila 5th July 2019 To enjoy cleaner air, South Africa’s policies need to change, says Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries air quality chief director Dr Thuli Khumalo. →

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