Submission on the Climate Change Bill

Natural Justice argues that the Climate Change Bill is insufficient due to a lack of urgent timeframes, the absence of concrete emission reduction targets aligned with the Paris Agreement, and inadequate provisions for funding and capacity-building at the local and provincial levels. The submission calls for the Bill to explicitly recognize nature-based solutions like forest protection, ensure transparency through automatic public access to information, and facilitate a just energy transition by phasing out fossil fuels.

• The Bill is criticized for lacking urgency, specifically regarding the absence of clear timeframes for implementation and a failure to set deadlines for meeting international climate obligations.
• The Bill does not include ambitious emissions reduction targets or reference the Paris Agreement's goals of 1.5°C and 2°C, and it lacks a concrete action plan to achieve "net-zero" emissions.
• There is a significant gap in the Bill regarding the support for government bodies, as it imposes burdens on municipalities and provinces without providing for necessary funding or capacity-building.
• The submission argues that the Bill must be expanded to enable a just transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, noting that South Africa is among the top 15 CO2 emitters globally and the largest in Africa.
• The Bill is noted for failing to recognize nature-based solutions, specifically forest protection and restoration, as effective tools for climate mitigation and adaptation.

APA

Natural Justice (2022). Submission on the Climate Change Bill. https://naturaljustice.org/publication/submission-climate-change-bill-south-africa/

Chicago

Natural Justice. Submission on the Climate Change Bill. 2022. https://naturaljustice.org/publication/submission-climate-change-bill-south-africa/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Natural Justice |title=Submission on the Climate Change Bill |date=21 June 2022 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/publication/submission-climate-change-bill-south-africa/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{naturaljustice2022submission, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{Submission on the Climate Change Bill}}, publisher = {Natural Justice}, year = {2022}, month = jun, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/publication/submission-climate-change-bill-south-africa/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }