SUBMISSIONS ON THE GAS AMENDMENT BILL [B9 – 2020] PUBLISHED FOR COMMENT ON 25 JUNE 2021

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), on behalf of itself and groundWork, submitted comments on the draft Gas Amendment Bill [B9 – 2020] to the Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy. The CER argues that the Bill fails to account for the climate emergency, lacks adequate public consultation and access to information, and irregularly encroaches upon environmental regulatory powers reserved for the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment.

• The CER asserts that the Gas Amendment Bill is irrational because it facilitates new fossil fuel infrastructure during a climate emergency, which contradicts the need to abandon fossil fuels to avoid catastrophic climate change. The document notes that South Africa is extremely vulnerable, with regional temperatures increasing at "twice the rate of the global average".
• The CER argues that gas is not a viable "bridge fuel" because the IPCC's 1.5°C target cannot be met with new gas development. It highlights that methane, the primary component of gas, has a climate impact "more than 80 times stronger in the short-term (20-year) time frame" and 28 times stronger over the long term compared to carbon dioxide.
• The Bill is criticized for insufficient public participation provisions. Specifically, the CER claims the 60-day period for the Energy Regulator to consider applications is "insufficient to allow for adequate public participation" and that the Bill fails to provide a definition or process for "meaningful consultation".
• The CER contends that the Bill violates the "One Environmental System" (OES) by granting the Energy Regulator powers that belong to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment. This includes the authority to issue compliance notices and manage financial guarantees and fines.
• The submission highlights a lack of transparency and access to information, noting that interested parties are often expected to submit objections "blindfolded" without seeing the full applications. The CER recommends an obligation for applicants to make full applications available automatically and the creation of a public online database of permits and licenses.
• The CER expresses concern over the Minister's lack of discretion in awarding licenses, stating that if certain criteria are met, the Minister is "obligated to grant these permits and rights". Additionally, the use of the undefined term "national interest" is flagged as a potential justification for infrastructure that may not actually benefit the country.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2021). SUBMISSIONS ON THE GAS AMENDMENT BILL [B9 – 2020] PUBLISHED FOR COMMENT ON 25 JUNE 2021. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/26-07-21-CER-comments-on-the-Gas-Amendment-Bill_.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. SUBMISSIONS ON THE GAS AMENDMENT BILL [B9 – 2020] PUBLISHED FOR COMMENT ON 25 JUNE 2021. 2021. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/26-07-21-CER-comments-on-the-Gas-Amendment-Bill_.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=SUBMISSIONS ON THE GAS AMENDMENT BILL [B9 – 2020] PUBLISHED FOR COMMENT ON 25 JUNE 2021 |date=30 July 2021 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/26-07-21-CER-comments-on-the-Gas-Amendment-Bill_.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2021submissions, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{SUBMISSIONS ON THE GAS AMENDMENT BILL [B9 – 2020] PUBLISHED FOR COMMENT ON 25 JUNE 2021}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2021}, month = jul, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/26-07-21-CER-comments-on-the-Gas-Amendment-Bill_.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }