SA says emissions will decline from 2025, in finance for clean energy transition

As the world heads toward greener and more environmentally friendlier times, countries have been looking at various ways to reduce their carbon footprint in an attempt to lessen their impact on the planet. South Africa, which is the world’s 12th biggest polluter of greenhouse gases, is heavily reliant on coal energy. As the country seeks to secure finance in order to aid in its transition to cleaner energy, the country has promised to cut emissions by 2025 – a decade earlier than planned. Bloomberg reports that “South Africa’s cabinet said Monday that it had adopted an annual emission target of 350 megatons to 420 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030, an improvement from an earlier proposal of 398 megatons to 440 megatons. South Africa’s previous NDC, set in 2015, had an upper limit of 614 megatons for 2030.” In an interview with BizNews, OUTA’s Liz McDaid remarked that Koeberg – which is to reach the end of its lifespan in 2024 – is now being looked at for extension. “This is a plant that was built in the 1970s. We as OUTA and the public only found out about this recently (almost by accident) when we asked. There was no public transparency.” Listen to the full interview with McDaid below. – Jarryd Neves

South Africa says emissions to fall from 2025, in finance talks

By Antony Sguazzin

(Bloomberg) – South Africa, the world’s 12th-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, said its total emissions will begin to decline in 2025 and disclosed that it’s in talks to secure finance to transition to the use of more clean energy.

The decline in emissions of climate warming gases is a decade earlier than planned in the previous target and will result from the adoption of a tougher goal, or nationally determined contribution, ahead of the COP26 international climate talks.

“More ambitious achievement will require significant multilateral financial support and technological transfer,” the country’s environment department said in a statement Wednesday. “Discussions in this regard are ongoing with a range of governments and financing institutions.”

South Africa depends on coal for almost all of its power generation and about a third of its motor fuel is made from coal. Government officials are due to meet with a delegation from the US, UK, France and Germany in the coming days to discuss support for a programme of closing coal-fired power plants and building more renewable energy facilities.

South Africa’s cabinet said Monday that it had adopted an annual emission target of 350 megatons to 420 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030, an improvement from an earlier proposal of 398 megatons to 440 megatons. South Africa’s previous NDC, set in 2015, had an upper limit of 614 megatons for 2030.

The updated NDC also includes climate adaptation goals for the first time.

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