South Africa’s 2nd Biennial Update Report

South Africa's 2nd Biennial Update Report (BUR-2) provides a comprehensive overview of the country's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2000 to 2012, its mitigation strategies, and the financial and technical support received to transition toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy by 2030.

• South Africa's total GHG emissions (excluding Forestry and Other Land Use - FOLU) were 545,632 Gg CO2eq in 2012. When including the AFOLU sector, total emissions were reduced to 516,417 Gg CO2eq.
• The energy sector is the primary driver of emissions, contributing 75.2% of total GHG emissions in 2000 and increasing to 77.7% by 2012. Total GHG emissions in this sector rose from 340,711 GgCO2eq in 2000 to 395,088 GgCO2eq in 2012.
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the largest gas contributor to the national GHG budget, with emissions increasing by 1.2% between 2000 and 2012, reaching 460,654 Gg CO2 (excluding FOLU) in 2012.
• Methane (CH4) emissions increased by 15.4% between 2000 and 2012, rising from 48,293 Gg CO2eq to 55,750 Gg CO2eq. The primary contributors in 2012 were the AFOLU Livestock category (51.3%) and the Waste sector (38.1%).
• Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions declined by 5.0% from 2000 to 2012, with 2012 estimates at 25,853 Gg CO2eq. The largest source was aggregated and non-CO2 sources on land, contributing 79.9% in 2012.
• The IPPU sector's emissions fluctuated, peaking at 52,347 Gg CO2eq in 2006 before declining by 17.3% to 43,247 Gg CO2eq in 2009 due to the global economic recession and an electricity crisis.
• Waste sector emissions are projected to increase by 78.5%, from 12,288 Gg CO2eq in 2000 to 21,928 Gg CO2eq in 2012, primarily driven by solid waste disposal.
• South Africa has committed to a GHG emission reduction trajectory where emissions peak between 2020 and 2025, plateau for approximately a decade, and then decline in absolute terms.
• The government is implementing a Carbon Tax, starting in 2016, with an initial marginal rate of R120 ($13) per ton CO2-e, including various tax-free thresholds capped at 95%.
• A carbon budgeting system for significant emitters (those emitting more than 0.1 Mt of GHGs annually) was scheduled to commence on 1 January 2016 and end on 31 December 2020.
• Between 2000 and 2014, South Africa received bilateral financial support totaling USD 116.8 million in grants and USD 1,099 million in loans.
• Multilateral support for the 2000-2014 period was predominantly loans (82%), with the Clean Technology Fund being the largest loan provider and the Global Environment Facility the largest grant provider.
• The South African government invested approximately USD 3.48 billion in grants and USD 139.1 million in loans for climate change related programmes.
• The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) is developing a National Greenhouse Gas Inventory System (NGHGIS) to ensure sustainable, transparent, and accurate reporting of emissions.
• The National Climate Change Response Database (NCCRD), launched in 2009, serves as a web-based hub for information on mitigation, adaptation, and research projects in South Africa.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2016). South Africa’s 2nd Biennial Update Report. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Draft-Second-Biennial-Update-Report-for-SA.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. South Africa’s 2nd Biennial Update Report. 2016. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Draft-Second-Biennial-Update-Report-for-SA.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=South Africa’s 2nd Biennial Update Report |date=September 2016 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Draft-Second-Biennial-Update-Report-for-SA.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrights2016south, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{South Africa’s 2nd Biennial Update Report}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2016}, month = sep, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Draft-Second-Biennial-Update-Report-for-SA.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }