LIFE AFTER COAL CAMPAIGN - ESKOM’S NON-COMPLIANCE WITH OBLIGATIONS TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT REMAINS A MATERIAL LIABILITY

A letter from the Life After Coal Campaign to the Chairman of Eskom's Board of Directors, arguing that Eskom's reliance on coal-fired power is economically unsustainable and creates severe liabilities regarding human health, water, and the environment.

• The Life After Coal Campaign contends that Eskom's business model of using large coal-fired baseload stations is collapsing and economically unsustainable, contributing to a financial "death spiral" characterized by massive cost and time over-runs at the Medupi and Kusile stations.
• A study by Meridian Economics suggests that Eskom could save up to R17 billion by accelerating the decommissioning of the Grootvlei, Hendrina, and Komati power stations and curtailing the completion of Kusile units 5 and 6, without compromising the security of supply.
• Research by Dr. Mike Holland in 2017 indicates that air pollution from coal-fired generation in South Africa results in approximately 2,239 equivalent attributable deaths and an annual economic cost of roughly R33 billion.
• Eskom's coal-fired power stations are highly water-intensive, with a net annual water consumption of 314.685 million cubic metres, posing a risk to water-scarce regions and water courses such as the Olifants River.
• The document highlights a conflict between Eskom's reported intention to extend the lifespan of its stations to 60 years and South Africa's international climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, which are based on a 50-year lifespan model.
• Eskom has a history of non-compliance with Minimum Emission Standards (MES) and has sought widespread postponements of these obligations, despite evidence of significant health impacts.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2018). LIFE AFTER COAL CAMPAIGN - ESKOM’S NON-COMPLIANCE WITH OBLIGATIONS TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT REMAINS A MATERIAL LIABILITY. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/LAC-Letter-to-Eskom-1-Feb-2018_final.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. LIFE AFTER COAL CAMPAIGN - ESKOM’S NON-COMPLIANCE WITH OBLIGATIONS TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT REMAINS A MATERIAL LIABILITY. 2018. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/LAC-Letter-to-Eskom-1-Feb-2018_final.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=LIFE AFTER COAL CAMPAIGN - ESKOM’S NON-COMPLIANCE WITH OBLIGATIONS TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT REMAINS A MATERIAL LIABILITY |date=1 February 2018 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/LAC-Letter-to-Eskom-1-Feb-2018_final.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2018life, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{LIFE AFTER COAL CAMPAIGN - ESKOM’S NON-COMPLIANCE WITH OBLIGATIONS TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT REMAINS A MATERIAL LIABILITY}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2018}, month = feb, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/LAC-Letter-to-Eskom-1-Feb-2018_final.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }