SOUTH AFRICA'S GAS MASTERPLAN COMMENTS

Natural Justice argues that South Africa's Gas Master Plan perpetuates fossil fuel dependence and undermines the Just Energy Transition and the Global Methane Pledge. The organization highlights significant gaps in the plan regarding community compensation for land expropriation, the lack of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), and the failure to address fugitive methane emissions. Furthermore, it criticizes the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy for an inadequate public comment period and the absence of risk mitigation strategies for gas explosions or economic fluctuations.

• Gas development in South Africa is viewed as incompatible with a decarbonised energy future and contradicts the country's Climate Change Bill, the Global Methane Pledge from COP26, and the urgency of a Just Energy Transition.
• The Gas Master Plan fails to address how vulnerable families and communities will be compensated when land or property is expropriated for the construction of gas pipelines.
• The plan is criticized for neglecting the environmental impact of fugitive methane emissions and failing to reference the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA).
• There are significant concerns regarding the lack of public participation, specifically the absence of the principle of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) and the insufficient time provided for public comment on the 100-page document.
• The document identifies a lack of risk management strategies concerning gas explosions, price fluctuations, and the ambiguous use of the term "national interest" to justify infrastructure licensing.

APA

Natural Justice (2022). SOUTH AFRICA'S GAS MASTERPLAN COMMENTS. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/gas-master-plan-2.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. SOUTH AFRICA'S GAS MASTERPLAN COMMENTS. 2022. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/gas-master-plan-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Natural Justice |title=SOUTH AFRICA'S GAS MASTERPLAN COMMENTS |date=31 January 2022 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/gas-master-plan-2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{naturaljustice2022south, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{SOUTH AFRICA'S GAS MASTERPLAN COMMENTS}}, publisher = {Natural Justice}, year = {2022}, month = jan, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/gas-master-plan-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }