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Climate Change News

COP26 must unlock climate support from developed to developing countries – Creecy

By: Terence Creamer 4th October 2021 South Africa’s Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy says the COP26 climate talks scheduled for Glasgow, Scotland, in November need to prioritise the securing of finance, technology and capacity building support from developed to developing countries. Addressing a... →

Made-from-carbon-dioxide concrete, lululemons and diamonds spark investor excitement

By: Reuters 4th October 2021 What do diamonds, sunglasses, high-end lululemon sportswear and concrete have to do with climate change? They can all be made using carbon dioxide (CO2), locking up the planet warming gas. And tech startups behind these transformations are grabbing investor attention. →

Atlas project to be finalised

By: Cameron Mackay 1st October 2021 Local wind energy collaboration the South African Wind Energy Programme (SAWEP) is in the final stages of completing the Wind Atlas for South Africa (WASA) Phase 3 project this year, says SAWEP project manager Andre Otto. SAWEP is a multiyear technical assistance project, funded by the Global... →

Carbon tax ineffective against major emitters

By: Darren Parker 1st October 2021 South Africa’s “laughably weak and ineffective” carbon tax regime is no disincentive to carbon-intensive businesses, such as integrated chemicals and energy company Sasol, environmental activist organisation Greenpeace Africa climate and energy campaigner Thandile Chinyavanhu tells Engineering... →

A photo of a Sasol plant emitting pollution into the air while crops and flowers grow in the foreground

Photo by Reuters
PINING FOR CHANGE Greenpeace Africa ponders whether a just transition is possible while major emitters continue to be granted large-scale carbon tax allowances

Research shows where, how housing developments are built impact on residents' carbon footprints

By: Creamer Media Reporter 30th September 2021 A new quantitative study on the impact of the location of housing development in Johannesburg on carbon emissions - by the research partnership of Divercity Urban Property Fund and the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) - shows that where and how housing is built in the city has a... →

Africa needs $240bn to transition to clean energy, Ramaphosa says

By: Bloomberg 30th September 2021 Sub-Saharan Africa needs $240-billion for the region to transition to a clean energy, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters in Johannesburg on Wednesday. “We need grant funding to help us transition,” he said. “If we get the funding we will migrate far quicker to renewable... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Rich nations pitch climate aid to fund South Africa coal exit

By: Bloomberg 29th September 2021 Envoys from some of the world’s richest nations met with South African cabinet ministers on Tuesday to discuss a climate deal that could see billions of dollars put toward ending the country’s dependence on coal. The delegation is trying to hammer out an agreement that can be announced at the... →

‘Just Transition Transaction’ can unlock fiscal space for South Africa’s low-carbon shift

By: Terence Creamer 28th September 2021 A Just Transition Transaction (JTT) that enables South Africa to secure highly concessional finance from rich countries in return for accelerated decarbonisation would help create the fiscal space required to take such a programme forward, a new Meridian Economics study asserts. Released to... →

The transaction is seen as complementing Eskom's own Just Energy Transition Transaction, which is meant to start with repowering and repurposing projects at Komati (pictured)

Energy features strongly in IDC’s R24bn pipeline as Patel makes ‘go green’ call

By: Terence Creamer 28th September 2021 The State-owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is aiming to convert a significant portion of a R24-billion investment pipeline into commitments following a steep fall in both approvals and disbursements during its Covid-afflicted 2020/21 financial year. The development finance... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
IDC CEO TP Nchocho

Botswana, Namibia outline efforts towards green bonds, sustainable stock exchanges

By: Donna Slater 28th September 2021 After South Africa, Namibia, through its Namibian Stock Exchange, is the second African country to issue a green bond after signing up to the United Nations’ (UN’s) sustainable stock exchanges initiative, said Namibian Stock Exchange CEO Tiaan Bazuin. Speaking during the Southern Africa Green... →

ESG strategies can build trust, drive sustainable value

By: Schalk Burger 27th September 2021 Organisations can help to build trust and deliver sustained outcomes by implementing effective environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies and stakeholders tend to place more trust in organisations that demonstrate a sustained interest in communities, the environment and good... →

Green bonds provide balance to traditional investment vehicles

By: Donna Slater 27th September 2021 Compared with traditional impact investment vehicles, which tend to be private equity, green bonds provide a “nice balance” in achieving a desired investment impact, environment, social and governance (ESG) advisory firm EBS Advisory CEO James Brice said during the Southern Africa Green Bonds... →

More ambitious climate target step in right direction, but more work is needed – CER

By: Simone Liedtke 23rd September 2021 The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has commended Cabinet’s decision to approve a reduced target range for greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions in South Africa, noting that it is “a marked improvement” from the previous target range proposed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the... →

Risks linked to South Africa’s more ambitious decarbonisation pledge not yet ‘adequately addressed’

By: Terence Creamer 23rd September 2021 Minerals Council South Africa has signalled its support for South Africa’s transition to a low-carbon economy, but is concerned that the immediate risks associated with the country’s more ambitious decarbonisation targets are not being adequately addressed. CEO Roger Baxter told participants to a... →

Image from Daylin Paul’s photographic book, titled ‘Broken Land’, a visual narrative of the environmental and social impacts of coal in Mpumalanga

An image from Daylin Paul’s black and white photographic book, titled ‘Broken Land’, which offers a visual narrative of the environmental and social impacts of coal in Mpumalanga

Sasol triples 2030 decarbonisation target, makes net-zero by 2050 pledge

By: Terence Creamer 22nd September 2021 Chemicals and energy group Sasol has announced a material acceleration of its decarbonisation plans, confirming that it will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% by 2030 rather than by the much-criticised 10% level to which it initially committed. CEO Fleetwood Grobler has also pledged... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Sasol CEO Fleetwood Grobler

UN chief warns world is facing 'dead end' over climate, Covid

By: Bloomberg 22nd September 2021 United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the world is hurtling toward ecological destruction, sounding a bleak opening tone to the annual UN General Assembly meeting in New York. Speaking a day after convening world leaders to ratchet up climate commitments, Guterres said Tuesday... →

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

Study reveals South Africa's weather is becoming more extreme

By: Donna Slater 20th September 2021 South Africa is experiencing more maximum temperature records than expected – a trend which appears to be accelerating, a study by a University of Pretoria (UP) Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology PhD student Charlotte McBride shows. McBride, of the South African Weather... →

iREREP to have 30-year lead time, private sector to be responsible for technical and financing aspects

By: Donna Slater 20th September 2021 The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) launched its Integrated Renewable Energy and Resource Efficiency Programme (iREREP) by opening its request for information (RFI) on September 20, saying its 30-year lead time is aligned with government’s National Infrastructure Plan 2050... →

Trade policy can accelerate business emissions reduction – WEF study

By: Schalk Burger 20th September 2021 For businesses to reach their emissions targets, the global trading system needs to adapt and businesses are calling for that change, the World Economic Forum (WEF) states in its 'Delivering a Climate Trade Agenda' industry insights report. Action on trade is necessary for businesses to unlock... →

Cabinet endorses more ambitious carbon pledge ahead of Glasgow summit

By: Terence Creamer 20th September 2021 Cabinet has approved a revised – and more ambitious – Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) carbon mitigation target range for 2030 ahead of the upcoming COP26 gathering, which will take place in Glasgow, Scotland, in November. In a statement, Cabinet announced that South Africa had revised... →

Photo by Creamer Media
Eskom plans to decommission 11 GW of coal by 2030

South Africa adopts lower emission target ahead of COP26 meeting

By: Bloomberg 20th September 2021 South Africa’s cabinet adopted the lower greenhouse gas emission target recommended by a panel set up by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The target, known as the country’s nationally determined contribution, is to keep annual emissions at between 371 and 420 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent by... →

PetroSA mulls geothermal as way to offset ‘decommissioning liability monster’

By: Terence Creamer 17th September 2021 Embattled State-owned gas-to-liquids refiner PetroSA is considering plans to harness geothermal energy from its mature or depleted gas wells to produce electricity and delay decommissioning. Addressing a conference in Cape Town this week, Central Energy Fund (CEF) CEO Dr Ishmael Poolo reported... →

Photo by Creamer Media
PetroSA refinery in Mossel Bay

New online portal launched to showcase African green recovery projects

By: Terence Creamer 17th September 2021 A new web-based platform, which will showcase green stimulus projects across Africa, has been officially launched. The portal, which can be found at http://agsp.nepad.org/, was unveiled this week by South Africa’s Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy in her capacity as... →

Commercial property without carbon emission reduction plans will soon decrease in value – report

By: Simone Liedtke 16th September 2021 Commercial property without plans to slash carbon emissions will soon plummet in value, warns new real estate stock exchange IPSX and sustainability data and consulting firm Carbon Intelligence in a joint report on net-zero initiatives for UK commercial property market valuations. Its findings... →

Harvesting water from atmosphere posited as a solution to enhance water security

By: Donna Slater 16th September 2021 Technology used to extract water from the Earth’s atmosphere, otherwise known as atmospheric water generating (AWG), may be a solution that can be easily scaled to mitigate current and future water scarcity issues in South Africa and globally, Sustainbale Operations Group (SOG) Water Solutions... →

FirstRand to end funding for new coal mines, power plants

By: Reuters 15th September 2021 South Africa's FirstRand will end funding for new coal-fired power stations and coal mines and has lowered the cap on its coal exposure as part of moves to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, it said on Wednesday. South Africa's banks are the biggest on the continent, with the likes of FirstRand... →

Net-zero goal could be new ‘shared vision that binds’ South Africa

By: Terence Creamer 14th September 2021 A just transition towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 offers significant opportunities for a new growth path built on green industrialisation and could provide the anchor for a new “shared vision that binds us”, former Deputy Finance Minister and State Capture whistle-blower Mcebisi Jonas... →

Photo by Creamer Media
Mcebisi Jonas

Africa set to become global climate migration ‘hotspot’

By: Terence Creamer 13th September 2021 A new World Bank report warns that sub-Saharan African could make up 86-million of the world’s 216-million climate migrants by 2050, while North Africa could have the largest share of internal climate migrants relative to total population. Titled ‘Groundswell’, the report updates and expands on... →

Bids sought for socioeconomic study into Eskom’s coal repowering and repurposing plan

By: Terence Creamer 13th September 2021 A global coalition set up to support countries in implementing the carbon-reduction pledges contained in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) has announced that it will fund a study to assess the socioeconomic impacts of the shutdown, repowering and repurposing of seven Eskom... →

Photo of a road to an Eskom power station

Photo by Creamer Media
Eskom to shut 11 000 MW of coal capacity by 2030

New trade idea for South Africa is debt relief for climate goals

By: Bloomberg 9th September 2021 Politicians and academics are turning their attention to a new trade pitch for South Africa: debt relief in exchange for progress toward global climate goals. The debt-for-climate concept, which was floated by International Monetary Fund MD Kristalina Georgieva in April, has been picked up by... →

South Africa’s green hydrogen ‘first mover’ opportunity based on three structural advantages

By: Terence Creamer 8th September 2021 South Africa has three favourable structural characteristics that potentially give it a “first mover advantage” to become a global green-hydrogen leader, Sasol CEO Fleetwood Grobler argued in his address during a ‘Hydrogen Economy Discussion’ facilitated by well-known mining personality Bernard... →

Sasol CEO Fleetwood Grobler

Absa achieves compliance with new building energy performance requirements

By: Simone Liedtke 8th September 2021 Financial services provider Absa is the first bank to achieve compliance with the country’s new building energy performance regulations, the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) reports. In December 2020, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) gazetted... →

World's largest plant capturing carbon from air starts in Iceland

By: Reuters 8th September 2021 The world's largest plant that sucks carbon dioxide directly from the air and deposits it underground is due to start operating on Wednesday, the company behind the nascent green technology said. Swiss start-up Climeworks, which specialises in capturing carbon dioxide directly from the air, has... →

Masondo raises R146bn South Africa debt forgiveness

By: Bloomberg 7th September 2021 David Masondo, South Africa’s deputy finance minister, suggested that investors forgive about R146-billion of sovereign debt in exchange for the national power utility meeting climate targets. In order to transition from the use of coal to generate electricity to renewable energy Eskom Holdings... →

South Africa’s updated NDC climate pledge to be released ‘very soon’

By: Terence Creamer 7th September 2021 Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy reported on Tuesday that South Africa’s revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which is to be deposited with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change later this year, is close to being finalised and will... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Barbara Creecy

Sasol, UCT confirm progress on catalysts that convert hydrogen, CO2 into green jet fuel

By: Terence Creamer 6th September 2021 Energy and chemicals group Sasol, which aims to become a leader in South Africa’s promising green hydrogen industry, reports that research advancements have been achieved that are supportive of the conversion of hydrogen and carbon dioxide (CO2) into green jet fuel and chemicals. Made in... →

Photo of research under way at Sasol Research & Technology

PwC Africa announces focus areas as part of global strategy

By: Schalk Burger 3rd September 2021 Advisory services multinational PwC Africa has announced its six focus areas to support the group's global New Equation strategy, which aims to deliver sustained outcomes for its clients. PwC Africa’s six key focus areas are trust; growth and value creation; environmental, social and governance... →

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CESA hosts gala graduation dinner for the future engineering leaders

Beware the fire starter

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