{"query_echo":{"q":"","filters":{"climate_tags":["stranded assets"]},"warnings":[]},"total":{"value":10,"relation":"eq"},"page":1,"page_size":20,"self":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/api/v1/search?climate_tags=stranded+assets","stability":"beta","ai_marking":{"digital_source_type":{"uri":"http://cv.iptc.org/newscodes/digitalsourcetype/trainedAlgorithmicMedia","name":"Created using Generative AI"},"notice":"Summary and key insights are generated using artificial intelligence."},"results":[{"id":"cer-000726","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-000726","title":"OBJECTIONS TO THE SCOPING REPORT FOR THE MOTUOANE PRODUCTION RIGHT APPLICATION, WITHIN VARIOUS FARMS IN MATJHABENG AND MASILONYA LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, LEJWELEPUTSWA DISTRICT MUNICIPALITIES, FREE STATE PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"statement","language":"en","date_published":"2026-02-23","source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CER-NJ-obo-MEJCON-SA-MACUA-groundWork-and-FSEJN-comment-on-Motuoane-1709-PR-Scoping-Report.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Centre for Environmental Rights and Natural Justice, representing several community and environmental networks, submitted formal objections to the Scoping Report for the Motuoane Production Right application. The project proposes hydrocarbon exploration and extraction over approximately 14,400 hectares in the Free State Province, involving up to 43 production wells and associated infrastructure. The objectors argue that the Scoping Report is deficient in its assessments of air quality, climate change, hydrogeology, and social impacts, and that the public participation process was not meaningful.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000726#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The air quality assessment is criticized for lacking local data, relying instead on a monitor in Bloemfontein located roughly 115 km away. The objectors note that Bloemfontein's data shows air quality is 'highly variable, and sometimes quite poor', with particulate matter pollution excursions in January 2026 reaching nearly 300 μg/m3.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000726#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The objectors argue the climate change assessment fails to recognize that downstream combustion of extracted fossil fuels (Scope 3 emissions) likely constitutes the vast majority of the project's impact, typically accounting for 80-to-95% of total carbon emissions for oil and gas companies.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000726#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The project's claim that it will facilitate a transition from coal to renewable energy is contested. The objectors cite evidence that wind and solar farms in South Africa are 57% cheaper than combined-cycle gas plants for bulk electricity supply, and that there is 'no need for South Africa to invest in a gas-to-power sector at this time'.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000726#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The hydrogeological investigation is described as a draft lacking local investigation, such as drilling or monitoring. The objectors highlight a discrepancy where the 11 investigation boreholes are located north of the proposed production zone, and warn that decommissioned boreholes may act as permanent pathways for deep-depth poor quality fluids to pollute shallow aquifers.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000726#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The Social Scoping Report is accused of omitting cumulative social impacts and failing to account for the region's historical gold mining legacies. It is further criticized for relying on 'statistically compromised' 2022 census data, which reportedly had an undercount of 31% of people and 30% of households.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000726#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The public participation process is challenged as being a 'dissemination exercise' rather than a deliberative process. Objections include low attendance (roughly twenty-five individuals), a venue not on a public transport route, and statements from a project representative suggesting that 'extensive community participation was not necessary'.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000726#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The Heritage Impact Assessment is deemed premature because it reaches conclusions before completing a planned field survey. The desktop study identified twelve potential heritage features, including burial grounds and historical structures, but the objectors claim the report fails to identify 'intangible heritage aspects'.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000726#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The objectors assert that South Africa lacks the regulatory capacity to monitor oil and gas operations, noting that while there are 94 designated Environmental Mineral Resource Inspectors (EMRIs), all are designated for mining and 'none being designated for the oil and gas sector'.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000726#insight-8","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["energy transition","fossil fuel extraction","greenhouse gas emissions","scope 3 emissions","net-zero targets","stranded assets","climate change impact assessment"],"geography_discussed":["Bloemfontein","Virginia","Welkom","Hennenman","Theunissen","Kroonstad"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["policy critique","environmental impact assessment review","legal objection"]},{"id":"cer-000383","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-000383","title":"APPEAL PURSUANT TO SECTION 43(1A) OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT, 1998 AGAINST THE DECISION RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION GRANTED TO AFRO ENERGY (PTY) LTD ON 23 JUNE 2025","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"statement","language":"en","date_published":"2025","source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Annexure-A.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Free State Environmental Justice Network (FSEJN) has filed an appeal to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to set aside an environmental authorisation (EA) granted on 23 June 2025 to Afro Energy (Pty) Ltd. The EA allows for the exploration of conventional natural gas across approximately 240,000 hectares in the Free State and Mpumalanga provinces. FSEJN argues that the decision by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) was unlawful, irrational, and failed to adequately assess climate, air quality, geohydrological, and socio-economic impacts, while also neglecting meaningful public participation.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000383#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The appellant argues that the Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) is fundamentally flawed because it uses an unrepresentative historical baseline (1995-2014), omits significant emissions sources such as methane from flaring, and uses an outdated Global Warming Potential (GWP) value of 23 for methane instead of the current IPCC value of 29.8.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000383#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The Air Quality Impact Assessment (AQIA) is claimed to be insufficient as it omits background air pollution data from the Standerton SAAQIS monitor and fails to assess Ozone (O3) pollution, despite Standerton's 1-hour ozone concentrations exceeding the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for over 480 hours in 2025.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000383#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The Geohydrology Impact Assessment (GIA) is alleged to be defective because it assumes uniform soil porosity (0.05) and ignores fracture permeability, which the appellant asserts leads to inaccurate predictions of contaminant spread in the region's shale, mudstone, and siltstone rocks.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000383#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The socio-economic analysis is criticized for failing to provide concrete data on how exploration would disrupt agricultural cycles and the livelihoods of farm workers and dwellers, and for underestimating the potential loss of tourism revenue in the Free State and Mpumalanga provinces.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000383#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The appellant contends that the project's 'need and desirability' assessment is inadequate as it focuses on short-term economic feasibility and energy demand while ignoring the risk of 'stranded assets' and the global transition toward net-zero emissions.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000383#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The public participation process is described as flawed due to the failure to provide information in isiZulu, despite it being the most commonly used language in the region (e.g., 48% of the population in Standerton), and the exclusion of vulnerable farm workers and dwellers.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000383#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The appeal asserts that the state lacks the capacity to monitor and enforce compliance for the project, noting that all 94 designated Environmental Mineral Resource Inspectors (EMRIs) in South Africa are designated for mining, with none for the oil and gas sector.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000383#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["fossil fuel exploration","natural gas","greenhouse gas emissions","methane","net-zero transition","stranded assets","climate change risk assessment"],"geography_discussed":["Standerton","Cape Town"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["legal appeal","environmental impact critique","socio-economic assessment"]},{"id":"newclim-000026","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/newclim-000026","title":"Natural gas in Africa","publisher":{"name":"NewClimate Institute","organization":"newclimate-institute"},"document_type":"fact sheet","language":"en","date_published":"2022-05-30","source_url":"http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/natural-gas-in-africa","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"A fact sheet by the NewClimate Institute arguing that natural gas cannot sustainably meet Africa's energy demands and that the continent should instead transition to renewable energy to avoid stranded assets and economic risks.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"newclim-000026#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"To align with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, there should be no new investments in natural gas exploration and production, unabated gas-fired power must be phased out globally by 2050 (and in some countries by 2040), and total gas demand must drop by 21%–61% from 2020 levels by 2050.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"newclim-000026#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Africa holds nearly 9% of global gas reserves and produces approximately 6% of global natural gas, but expanding production and consumption is expected to increase the continent's emission levels.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"newclim-000026#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Relying on natural gas poses economic and employment risks: new infrastructure may become stranded assets, fossil fuel industry employment is estimated to drop by about 75% by 2050 under a well below 2°C scenario, and African fossil fuel exporters have seen slower economic growth than other countries on the continent.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"newclim-000026#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["natural gas","energy transition","renewable energy","climate finance","stranded assets"],"geography_discussed":[],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["Policy analysis","Economic risk assessment"]},{"id":"cer-000391","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-000391","title":"APPEAL TO THE APPEAL AUTHORITY, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM, LIMPOPO","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"statement","language":"en","date_published":"2022-03-28","source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Annexure-A-ELA-gW-MEJCON-DLP-Appeal-to-MMSEZ-EA-28.03.2022.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"This document is a formal appeal submitted by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) on behalf of four appellants—Earthlife Africa, groundWork, the Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa, and Dzomo La Mupo—to the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) of the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET). The appeal seeks to set aside Environmental Authorisation (EA) No. 12/1/9/2-V79, granted on 23 February 2022 to the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (SOC) Ltd (MMSEZ). The EA allows for the site clearance of 3,863 hectares of indigenous vegetation and the development of bulk infrastructure in the Vhembe District of Limpopo. The appellants argue that the EA is unlawful due to procedural irregularities, a lack of authority by the decision-maker, failure to assess cumulative and climate impacts, and the disregard of cultural heritage and water scarcity issues.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000391#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The appellants argue that LEDET lacked the legal authority to issue the EA because the project's transboundary water implications and impacts on international UNESCO and RAMSAR sites mandate that the Minister of the Department of Forestry, Fishery and Environment (DFFE) be the competent authority.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000391#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"A significant conflict of interest is alleged, as the decision-maker (LEDET) is the holding company and 100% owner of the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA), which in turn owns the applicant, MMSEZ (SOC) Ltd.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000391#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The appeal claims the EIA process had legally expired before the EA was issued. The first Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP), Deltabec, submitted a Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) 289 days past the prescribed timeframe, and the decision-maker failed to reach a decision within the required 107 days.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000391#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Public participation is described as fatally flawed, citing the use of password-protected documents, the exclusion of community members from meetings by armed guards, and the presentation of inflated employment figures (800,000 jobs) that contradicted the FEIR's own estimate of 53,800 jobs.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000391#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The appellants contend that the EA is irrational because it ignores cumulative impacts, treating land clearance in isolation from the planned coal-fired power station and 14 heavy metal industries.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000391#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The project is expected to have a 'VERY HIGH' climate change impact, potentially contributing between 10% and 24% of South Africa's carbon budget under various 2°C or 1.5°C targets, generating approximately 1 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent over its lifetime.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000391#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The appeal highlights a failure to protect cultural heritage, specifically 'Zwifho' (sacred natural sites) and over 200 sacred burial grounds, noting that the EA only recognized 19 burial sites.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000391#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Severe water scarcity is cited as a critical risk, with the project estimated to require 80 to 100 million m3/annum in a region where water is already fully allocated, potentially crippling the local agricultural economy.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000391#insight-8","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The EA is criticized for lacking specific, measurable, and auditable conditions, relying instead on a 'fatally flawed' Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) that was not updated after independent reviews identified major deficiencies.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000391#insight-9","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["carbon budget","greenhouse gas emissions","climate resilience","stranded assets","coal-fired power plant"],"geography_discussed":["Zimbabwe","Mozambique"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["legal appeal","environmental impact assessment review"]},{"id":"cer-001075","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-001075","title":"COMMENTS ON THE GAS MASTER PLAN BASECASE REPORT","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"statement","language":"en","date_published":"2022-01-31","source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/LAC-Comments-on-Gas-Master-Plan-Basecase-Report-2022_vf.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Centre for Environmental Rights, on behalf of the Life After Coal Campaign, submits a formal objection to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy's draft Gas Master Plan Basecase Report. The submission argues that the plan is 'reckless and unnecessary', contradicting South Africa's constitutional obligations to protect citizens from climate change and ignoring energy modelling that suggests gas-to-power is not required for energy security.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001075#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The Gas Master Plan is viewed as a threat to the constitutional rights of South Africans because it facilitates new fossil fuel development despite the country's extreme vulnerability to climate change, where regional temperatures are increasing at twice the global average.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001075#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The claim that natural gas is a 'clean' bridging fuel is rejected as a fallacy. The document asserts that gas is as emission-intensive as coal, or more so, due to potent methane leaks during extraction, processing, and transport, which have a climate impact 80 times stronger than CO2 over a 20-year period.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001075#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Energy modelling from Meridian Economics and the CSIR Energy Centre indicates that gas-to-power is only justified for balancing the system during peaking demand and that no new investments in gas power are currently needed for energy security.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001075#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The report criticizes the Department's PESTEL analysis for failing to account for 'transition risks', such as the possibility of gas projects becoming stranded assets as they are outcompeted by cheaper renewable alternatives or rendered illegal by tightening climate regulations.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001075#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The submission highlights a contradiction between the Gas Master Plan and other national policies, such as the draft National Infrastructure Plan 2050, which advocates for reduced reliance on coal and increased reliance on solar and wind as the least-cost technologies.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001075#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The document argues that the Report improperly characterizes the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) as a 'barrier' to gas market development, suggesting this reflects an attempt to weaken environmental regulations to serve industry interests.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001075#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["fossil fuels","natural gas","energy transition","methane emissions","stranded assets","just transition","renewable energy"],"geography_discussed":["Africa"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["policy critique","legal analysis","environmental impact assessment"]},{"id":"clipolin-000217","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/clipolin-000217","title":"Coal power finance in high-impact countries","publisher":{"name":"Climate Policy Initiative","organization":"climate-policy-initiative"},"document_type":"briefing","language":"en","date_published":"2021-09-16","source_url":"https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/coal-power-finance-in-high-impact-countries/","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"This briefing examines the political and economic drivers of coal-fired power investment in 18 high-impact countries (HICs) with significant electricity access gaps, noting that international public finance dominates coal investment while domestic private finance leads in renewables.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"clipolin-000217#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Since 2013, international public finance has been the primary source of funding for new coal-fired power plants in 18 high-impact countries (HICs). In contrast, nearly 60 percent of finance for new renewable power plants in these countries during the same period was provided by domestic private investors.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"clipolin-000217#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Between 2013 and 2019, a total of USD 42 billion was committed to coal-fired power plants in HICs, with financial institutions based in China accounting for 40 percent of this total. Separately, privately held financial institutions in the US account for 58 percent of all global coal industry investment.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"clipolin-000217#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Coal-fired power plants in Bangladesh and Pakistan have experienced underutilization due to infrastructure constraints and lower than expected demand, illustrating the risk of stranded assets. Additionally, the long development timelines for thermal power make coal an ineffective tool for meeting the Sustainable Development Goal 7 target of universal electricity access by 2030, compared to distributed renewable energy.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"clipolin-000217#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["coal-fired power","energy transition","renewable energy","stranded assets","electricity access"],"geography_discussed":["People's Republic of China","United States","sub-Saharan Africa"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["financial analysis","policy analysis"]},{"id":"cer-001096","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-001096","title":"COMMENTS ON THE INTENDED DRAFT GUIDELINE FOR CONSIDERATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS IN APPLICATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATIONS, ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS LICENSES AND WASTE MANAGEMENT LICENCES","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"statement","language":"en","date_published":"2021-07-23","source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LAC-Submission-National-Guideline-for-Climate-Change-Considerations_26-July-2021.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing groundWork and Earthlife Africa, submitted comments on July 23, 2021, regarding the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment's (DFFE) draft Guideline for considering climate change implications in environmental authorisations and licenses. While welcoming the initiative, the CER argues that the draft is insufficient to address the climate crisis and fails to meet the legal requirements of the Constitution and the National Environment Management Act (NEMA). The submission advocates for a 1.5°C warming limit as the primary benchmark for emissions assessments rather than Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and calls for the inclusion of social costs of carbon and full lifecycle GHG emissions in project evaluations.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001096#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The CER contends that South Africa's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are an inadequate benchmark for assessing an activity's climate change mitigation impacts because they are based on executive discretion and may not align with a safe emission reduction pathway. The CER argues that the benchmark should instead be a 1.5°C warming limit, noting that the draft NDC update from March 30, 2021, is 'insufficient' and the 2015 NDC is 'highly insufficient' according to Climate Action Tracker.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001096#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The submission urges the DFFE to require an assessment of the external and social costs of carbon emissions for proposed projects. The CER suggests using the USA's social cost of carbon (SCC) protocol or an equivalent methodology to quantify damages—such as impacts on GDP, biodiversity, and human health—that are typically not paid for by project proponents, aligning with the NEMA principle that costs of remedying pollution must be paid by those responsible.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001096#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The CER argues that climate impact assessments must adopt a full lifecycle and cumulative approach rather than assessing activities in isolation. This includes examining the full footprint of a project, its effects on carbon sinks, and how a single proposal contributes to the cumulative effects of other past, current, and future projects.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001096#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The CER emphasizes the need to integrate equity and socio-economic considerations into climate assessments, specifically focusing on vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly, and poor communities who disproportionately bear the brunt of climate impacts. They recommend that the Guideline explicitly require the identification of disproportionate impacts on these groups to enable proactive public participation.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001096#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The submission recommends expanding the definition and assessment of 'stranded assets' to include risks related to the economics of renewable energy, stricter GHG emission limits, regulatory risks, and market changes. The CER notes that the impacts of stranded assets extend beyond owners to include costs to public funds and society through job losses and decommissioning.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001096#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The CER suggests that the climate impact guidance should be extended beyond the DFFE's mandate to include other licensing processes, such as water use licensing, electricity generation licenses by the National Energy Regulator, and scheduled trade permitting by local governments, to ensure consistency across government decision-making.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001096#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["ghg emissions","nationally determined contributions (ndcs)","1.5°c warming limit","social cost of carbon","environmental impact assessment (eia)","stranded assets","climate justice","lifecycle assessment"],"geography_discussed":["Southern Africa"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["policy_commentary","legal_submission"]},{"id":"cer-001410","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-001410","title":"SUPPLEMENTARY OBJECTIONS TO THE WATER USE LICENCE APPLICATION AND INTEGRATED WATER AND WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROPOSED THABAMETSI INDEPENDENT POWER PRODUCER COAL-FIRED POWER STATION","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"statement","language":"en","date_published":"2018-03-05","source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Thabametsi-IWUL-IWWMP-Objections-5-3-18.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), on behalf of Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and groundWork, submitted supplementary objections on 5 March 2018 against the Water Use Licence Application (IWULA) and Integrated Water and Waste Water Management Plan (IWWMP) for the proposed Thabametsi coal-fired power station. The objections argue that the project is unnecessary due to excess electricity capacity, poses severe risks to the water-stressed Mokolo Catchment, and fails to account for climate change impacts and toxic coal ash disposal risks.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001410#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The Thabametsi power station is proposed for the Mokolo Catchment, which is described as one of the most water-stressed catchments in South Africa. The project's water supply for phase one (630 MW) relies on the transfer of water allocations from Exxaro Coal (Pty) Ltd from the Mokolo Dam, but water demand in the catchment is predicted to exceed supply by 2019 or 2020.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001410#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The project's viability depends on the Mokolo-Crocodile Water Augmentation Project Phase 2 (MCWAP2), which was originally scheduled for commissioning in 2010. The CER notes that MCWAP2 has faced significant technical, financial, and environmental risks and delays, making its completion by 2020 unlikely.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001410#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Climate change is expected to significantly reduce water availability in the Mokolo and Crocodile West rivers. Analysis by Brad Udall indicates that warming between 2°C and 5°C in the 21st century will likely lead to flow declines due to higher evaporation and evapotranspiration, increasing the risk that the power station becomes a stranded asset.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001410#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The proposed coal ash dump presents substantial environmental and health risks. Expert Evan Hansen found that the dump is sited on top of faults, including the Daarby Fault, which could facilitate the rapid movement of toxic leachate into groundwater. Additionally, the CER claims Thabametsi may have underestimated its coal ash production rate by half.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001410#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The CER argues that the power station is unnecessary because the 2010 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is based on outdated assumptions. Current data suggests electricity demand is lower than projected, and Eskom has an excess supply of 5600MW at peak demand, meaning new coal capacity is not required to meet national needs.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001410#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has failed to make required reserve determinations for the Limpopo Water Management Area (LWMA) North. Implementing the ecological reserve—the minimum water needed to protect aquatic ecosystems—would reportedly reduce the yield of the Mokolo Dam by 57%.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-001410#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["energy transition","coal-fired power","water scarcity","climate change adaptation","stranded assets"],"geography_discussed":["Limpopo Water Management Area North","Lephalale","Crocodile West River"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["legal objection","environmental impact assessment review"]},{"id":"cer-000798","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-000798","title":"SUBMISSIONS ON FINAL SCOPE OF WORK REPORT FOR THABAMETSI IPP COAL-FIRED POWER STATION DEA REF 14/12/16/3/3/3/40","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"statement","language":"en","date_published":"2016-11-10","source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Comments-on-Final-Thabametsi-Scoping-Report-10-11-16-003.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting for Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, submitted comments to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) regarding the Final Scope of Work Report (FSR) for the Thabametsi coal-fired power station. The CER argues that the FSR is inadequate, particularly concerning the Climate Change Impact Assessment (CCIA), and requests that the DEA either reject the report or require significant amendments to align it with the South African Constitution and the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA).","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000798#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The CER contends that the Final Scope of Work Report (FSR) is materially inadequate because it fails to incorporate substantive changes suggested in the draft report and maintains a climate change impact assessment (CCIA) scope that is too narrow and inconsistent with global practice.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000798#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The CER asserts that a comprehensive CCIA for the Thabametsi project must include assessments of indirect or full life-cycle emissions, cumulative emissions, the social cost of carbon, and the project's resilience to climate change, including the risk of becoming a stranded asset.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000798#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The document highlights that South Africa's ratification of the Paris Agreement and its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) create legal and environmental obligations that may be inconsistent with a new coal-fired power station intended to operate for at least 40 years.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000798#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The CER criticizes the project developer's rejection of international best practices for the CCIA, arguing that since South Africa lacks specific guidelines for coal-fired power station climate assessments, foreign laws and guidelines should serve as a benchmark.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000798#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The CER identifies a failure in the FSR to address how climate change will affect water availability in the Mokolo and Crocodile West catchments, which are critical for the project's operation and long-term feasibility.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000798#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The CER notes a factual error in the FSR regarding the project developer, stating that the environmental authorisation was amended on 26 August 2016 to change the holder from Newshelf 1282 (Pty) Limited to Thabametsi Power Company (Pty) Limited.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000798#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["climate change impact assessment","stranded assets","greenhouse gas emissions","paris agreement","nationally determined contributions","coal-fired power"],"geography_discussed":["Limpopo","Waterberg District Municipality"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["Policy Review","Legal Submission"]},{"id":"cer-000378","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-000378","title":"APPEAL PURSUANT TO SECTION 43(1A) OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT, 1998 AGAINST THE DECISION RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION GRANTED TO TETRA4 (PTY) LTD ON 13 JULY 2023","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"statement","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Annexure-A.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa (MEJCON-SA) and Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) have appealed a decision by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) to grant environmental authorisation (EA) to Tetra4 (Pty) Ltd for the Cluster 2 Virginia Gas Production Project. The appellants argue that the decision is unlawful and unreasonable due to flawed groundwater and climate change assessments, inadequate public participation, a failure to consider renewable energy alternatives, and the state's lack of capacity to monitor gas operations.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000378#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"The appellants argue that the groundwater impact analysis in the Final Environmental Impact Assessment Report (FEIAR) is fatally flawed, relying on a computer model that disregards the complex nature of fractured-rock aquifers and lacks sufficient site-specific data.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000378#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The Climate Change Impact Assessment (CCIA) is alleged to be substantially flawed because it omits Scope 3 emissions and underestimates methane (CH4) emissions by using outdated global warming potential values and unrealistic flaring efficiency assumptions.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000378#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The appeal claims that public participation was inadequate, specifically failing to identify or meaningfully consult farm workers and occupiers who are most vulnerable to the project's impacts, despite the project's potential to severely affect their livelihoods.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000378#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The appellants contend that the project is neither necessary nor desirable because it risks creating 'stranded assets' as the world transitions from fossil fuels, and it fails to consider renewable energy as a cheaper and more sustainable alternative.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000378#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The document asserts that the project's impact on the agricultural and tourism sectors was not properly assessed, despite the Free State being a critical agricultural region and the potential for economic displacement of farmers.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000378#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The appeal states that the South African government lacks the resources and capacity to monitor and enforce compliance for gas operations, noting that as of 2023, there are no Environmental Mineral Resource Inspectors (EMRIs) designated specifically for the gas sector.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000378#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["greenhouse gas emissions","methane","energy transition","renewable energy","stranded assets","climate change assessment"],"geography_discussed":["Lejweleputswa District Municipality","Matjhabeng Local Municipality","Masilonyana Local Municipality","Cape Town"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["Legal Appeal","Environmental Impact Review"]}]}