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Climate Change News

Eskom’s R178bn grid plan points to ‘scary’ step change in expansionary capex

By: Terence Creamer 26th October 2021 State-owned electricity utility Eskom has outlined a R178-billion grid investment plan for the coming ten years, which is premised on a dramatic acceleration of expansionary capital expenditure. The Transmission Development Plan (TDP) for the period 2022 to 2031 is largely geared towards... →

SAWEA urges industry members, stakeholders to support global net-zero push

By: Schalk Burger 26th October 2021 Industry organisation the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) urges key stakeholders, including governments, economies and communities, to put policies in place that will raise ambitions and remove barriers to the massive scale up in investments in wind power to help reach global... →

Availability of sustainability funding driving changes in legal agreements

By: Schalk Burger 25th October 2021 Demand for sustainability-linked loans is surging and banks are competing to offer this new form of finance in South Africa, which is driving legal firms like Webber Wentzel to innovate in the loan terms and agreements that they are drafting for clients, say Webber Wentzel partners Khurshid Fazel... →

Just Energy Transition to result in 300 000 new energy jobs over ten years – De Ruyter

By: Donna Slater 22nd October 2021 Ongoing analysis and work done by various groups into the so-called Just Energy Transition (JET) points to the potential creation of 300 000 direct, indirect and induced jobs in South Africa’s electricity sector over the next decade, Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter said on October 22. He added that... →

South Africa to set up finance workstream to assess climate-finance offers

By: Terence Creamer 22nd October 2021 The South African government is set to establish a high-level technical workstream, which will work under the direction of a Cabinet subcommittee, to evaluate possible concessional finance offers that could be made in support of the country’s just energy transition strategy. The workstream is yet... →

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy

Countdown to COP26

22nd October 2021 Creamer Media's Chanel de Bruyn speaks to Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer about the final countdown to COP26, the South African government's negotiating stance and its plans to canvass a just energy transition financing facility. →

Countdown to COP26

New methods, technology key in driving net zero goal

By: Anna Moross 22nd October 2021 The South African road infrastructure and construction industry can learn from international markets and apply several key lessons on its journey to achieving the goal of net zero, ensuring a balance between emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere, says consulting engineers... →

An image of Marshall Muthen WSP in Africa’s highways, intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and rail director

MARSHALL MUTHEN South Africa can futureproof the road network infrastructure and its construction by taking digital roads into consideration to achieve the net zero goals and implement digital technologies

Technologies play powerful role in climate change efforts

By: Anna Moross 22nd October 2021 Technology is a critical accelerator in the efforts to implement climate change actions, and according to South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) energy efficiency and data & knowledge management GM Barry Bredenkamp, there is a major shift in the design of energy-consuming... →

An image of Barry Bredenkamp, the energy efficiency and data & knowledge management GM at Sanedi.

BARRY BREDENKAMP Small- and large-scale renewable-energy technologies solutions are also developing at a rapid rate and digitalisation is inevitable

Company first stainless steel producer to earn certification

22nd October 2021 Stainless steel producer Aperam’s Stainless Europe operations in September were successfully certified to be operating at the ResponsibleSteel Standard by independent auditors the Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR). The ResponsibleSteel initiative is the first global sustainability... →

How South Africa plans to secure backing for its ‘Just Transition Financing Facility’ at COP26

By: Terence Creamer 21st October 2021 South Africa aims to meet with other governments and multilateral finance institutions on the sidelines of the upcoming COP26 gathering to progress talks on raising concessional funding, in phases, for a Cabinet-endorsed ‘Just Transition Financing Facility’ to fund green projects in the... →

Cabinet wants ‘Just Transition Financing Facility’ to fund green projects in the electricity, automotive and hydrogen sectors.

To cut carbon emissions, Germany needs to keep nuclear plants open and close coal plants

By: Rebecca Campbell 20th October 2021 A study, commissioned by Berlin-based science and the environment association Ökomoderne e.V. and executed by Finnish not-for-profit research company Think Atom, has concluded that Germany’s current policy of closing its nuclear power plants early would result in the country releasing no less... →

UK releases its strategy to achieve national net zero carbon emissions status

By: Rebecca Campbell 20th October 2021 The UK government released on Tuesday its ‘Net Zero Strategy’, to achieve the country’s objective of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The UK was the first major economy in the world to enshrine in law its commitment to reach net zero by that date. Under the strategy, the UK will... →

Africa calls for climate finance tracker after donors fall short

By: Reuters 19th October 2021 African countries want a new system to track funding from wealthy nations that are failing to meet a $100-billion annual target to help the developing world tackle climate change, Africa's lead climate negotiator said. The demand highlights tensions ahead of the COP26 climate summit between the... →

South African energy sector the most carbon intensive of G20 nations

By: Schalk Burger 18th October 2021 South Africa’s energy sector has the highest carbon-intensity of the Group of 20 (G20) nations owing to its heavy reliance on coal, according to the latest assessment by Climate Transparency International. In 2020, three-quarters (74%) of South Africa’s total primary energy supply was derived... →

Creecy says a climate finance breakthrough is key to COP26 success

By: Terence Creamer 15th October 2021 South Africa’s Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy says a breakthrough is needed at COP26 on the issue of climate finance, warning that the failure of developed countries to honour their $100-billion-a-year commitments has led a breakdown of trust. Addressing a virtual... →

South Africa’s Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy

French enviro Minister visits South Africa to discuss just energy transition

By: Marleny Arnoldi 15th October 2021 French Ecological Transition Minister Barbara Pompili will visit South Africa for two days from October 15 to discuss just energy transition matters with government. France and South Africa have similar priorities in the fields of climate change, biodiversity and others related to the... →

Opinion: Combatting climate change with green energy solutions for Africa

15th October 2021 In this opinion article, Standard Bank head of sustainable finance, wholesale clients Greg Fyfe and head of power, wholesale clients Rentia van Tonder write that Africa has no choice but to join the global drive toward limiting greenhouse-gas emissions; however, the continent must facilitate a... →

Greg Fyfe

ESG, incorporating green energy to increasingly drive business development

By: Donna Slater 15th October 2021 In terms of incorporating environment, social and governance (ESG) conscientiousness into business development models, South Africa, and the financial services sector in particular, has historically, and in recent times, been acknowledged as a global leader, law firm Pinsent Masons transactional... →

Initiative aims to double industry supply in five years

By: Halima Frost 15th October 2021 The ‘Doubling of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Market’ initiative, driven by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association of South Africa (LPGSA), initiated in December 2019, is slowly gaining momentum after the inevitable impact of Covid-19 on... →

A stainless steel stove top with gas burners burning blue flame from an LPG gas supply, used for cooking

LPGSA MD Gadibolae Dihlabi discusses the plan to double the LPG sector over the next five years

Biogas engines supplied to ethanol producer

15th October 2021 Multinational gas and diesel power plant specialist Clarke Energy has secured the sale of two of gas engine manufacturer Innio Jenbacher’s biogas engines to ethanol distiller PressCane Limited, based in Chikhwawa, Malawi. The ethanol production site generates biofuel in the form of ethanol, which... →

Gas-to-power crucial to South Africa’s energy future

By: Halima Frost 15th October 2021 Multinational conglomerate General Electric Company (GE) Gas Power strategy & growth director Michael Konadu tells Mining Weekly that although there is no one solution to decrease South Africa’s carbon footprint, gas-to-power will be integral in the mix. He explains that South Africa’s Just... →

A large Gas Power Combined Cycle power plant designed by GE at dusk

TURNING TABLES The gas turbines offered by GE Gas To Power decrease a clients emissions substantially making a dent on its carbon footprint

Need for training in LNG sector recognised

By: Halima Frost 15th October 2021 With liquefied natural gas (LNG) expected to grow exponentially over the next five years, owing to the global drive to greener power generation, diverse consulting service provider Synergy Oil & Gas Consulting & Training senior energy manager Ismaeel Fataar says now is the time to upskill workers... →

A large ocean bearing vessel with LNG Gas from Mozambique and other parts of the world to South Africa.

KEEPING AFLOAT In order for South Africa to keep abreast with international standards, its LPG workers must be trained correctly

Development banks told to ramp up green ambitions ahead of COP26

By: Bloomberg 14th October 2021 The world’s multilateral development banks (MDBs) must boost their green ambitions to stop carbon emissions from soaring in the most powerful economies, according to the 'Climate Transparency Report 2021'. Covid-19 lockdowns caused carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector to fall 6% in... →

Energy inequality makes a hotter world deadlier for poor nations

By: Bloomberg 14th October 2021 A warmer planet will shape the type and amount of energy we use. Air conditioning is likely to become critical, while rich populations in temperate areas will save money by dodging heating costs during winter. But how will poor communities in hot locations protect themselves from rising... →

Mantashe opposes coal ban for climate aid

By: Bloomberg 14th October 2021 Rich nations shouldn’t force South Africa to ban new coal-power projects and impose other conditions as a requirement for funding to help reduce its environmental footprint, the country’s energy minister said. Gwede Mantashe last month skipped a meeting with climate envoys from the UK, US,... →

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe

Volvo Group says launches world's first fossil-free steel vehicle

By: Reuters 13th October 2021 Truck maker AB Volvo said on Wednesday it had produced a prototype of what it said would be the world's first vehicles made of fossil-free steel. Volvo and steel-maker SSAB announced in April an agreement to produce the vehicles and start the production of prototypes this year. →

IEA warns of more energy market volatility as transition investment lags

By: Terence Creamer 13th October 2021 There is a looming risk of more turbulence ahead for energy markets, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warns in its latest World Energy Outlook publication. “The world is not investing enough to meet its future energy needs, and uncertainties over policies and demand trajectories create a... →

IEA executive director Dr Fatih Birol

Finnish research partner develops carbon dioxide emissions reduction solution

By: Simone Liedtke 12th October 2021 Together with its business partners, research, development and innovation partner VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) has developed a solution that it says can bring a significant reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the production of cement and quicklime. As one of the... →

Concrete industry says carbon capture a key to hitting emissions targets

By: Reuters 12th October 2021 Global cement and concrete makers on Tuesday laid out steps to cut carbon dioxide emissions 25% by 2030 and to reach zero net emissions by mid-century, relying on more carbon-free energy, new chemistry and manufacturing technology, and carbon capture. Cement, the glue of concrete, accounts for... →

Global carbon capture projects surge 50% in 9 months – research

By: Reuters 12th October 2021 Global plans to build carbon capture and storage (CCS) plants have mushroomed over the last nine months as governments and companies accelerate the hunt for ways to cut emissions and curb global warming by mid-century, a think tank said on Tuesday. The capacity of planned projects soared to... →

US, EU line up over 20 more countries for global methane pact

By: Reuters 11th October 2021 Two dozen countries have joined a US- and EU-led effort to slash methane emissions 30% by 2030, giving the emerging global partnership momentum ahead of its launch at the UN climate summit in Glasgow later this month, a government official told Reuters. Nigeria, Japan and Pakistan are among the... →

Superpower rivalry and vaccine envy set stage for climate talks

By: Bloomberg 8th October 2021 Premiers, presidents, and princes come and go from the world’s biggest climate stage. It’s the nature of the annual international climate talks organized by the United Nations, known as the Conference of the Parties. The guest list changes with whichever parties are in power. Only someone like... →

Minerals Council South Africa developing 2050 Net Zero Action Plan

By: Simone Liedtke 7th October 2021 The Minerals Council South Africa is developing a Net Zero 2050 Action Plan and pathway towards achieving the goal of net zero greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. The action plan for mining will include the central pillars of increasing the share of investment in renewable energy sources; research,... →

African governments want climate finance to hit $1.3tr by 2030

By: Reuters 7th October 2021 African nations believe financing to help developing countries deal with climate change should be scaled up more than tenfold to $1.3-trillion per year by 2030, a key African climate negotiator told Reuters. Such an amount would mark a dramatic increase from the current goal of $100-billion... →

Climate Finance Accelerator announces 13 low-carbon projects

By: Simone Liedtke 6th October 2021 The Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA) South Africa has announced 13 innovative low-carbon projects that it will support in accessing finance from investors following a call for proposals that attracted 120 applications. The CFA is part of the UK government’s efforts to help South Africa tackle... →

Rich countries fall $10bn short in climate finance pledges

By: Bloomberg 6th October 2021 Rich countries are racing to close a climate-finance shortfall of at least $10-billion, with a handful of European nations planning to increase their pledges this month ahead of crucial talks in Glasgow, Scotland, according to people familiar with the plans. Over a decade ago, developed countries... →

Fortescue sets Scope 3 targets, hopes green hydrogen will help

By: Esmarie Iannucci 6th October 2021 Iron-ore major Fortescue Metals this week announced a target to achieve net zero Scope 3 emissions by 2040, addressing emissions across its entire global value chain, including crude steel manufacturing which accounts for 98% of the company’s Scope 3 emissions. The company told shareholders... →

Image shows Fortsescue's iron-ore operations

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