Search Climate Insights Directory

This briefing from Eskom to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) provides additional information supporting a postponement application for the Port Rex Power Station to comply with Minimum Emission Standards (MES). Eskom argues that full compliance by 2015 and 2020 is not practically feasible and proposes a phased approach, noting that the station is infrequently used and slated for decommissioning around 2026.

The document details the environmental and social costs of coal-power generation in South Africa, specifically focusing on the Kusile power station. It highlights that water-related externalities for Kusile range from R0.95 to R1.86 per kWh, driven largely by water use in generation and mining. The text argues that the Draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2016 misrepresents the total cost of coal by ignoring these externalities. It further notes that coal mining and power generation consume 3% and 2% of South Africa's water respectively, with severe regional impacts in the Upper Olifants. The report emphasizes the long-term costs of acid-mine drainage and the disproportionate health and water-security burdens placed on poor communities, concluding that a decarbonised energy future would require four times less water by 2050 and create more jobs than the coal-reliant base case.

This document is a response filed by UX Inc. on behalf of William Patrick Bower (Pty) Ltd (WPB) to an appeal lodged by Birdlife South Africa against the granting of a mining right. WPB argues that the appeal is out of time, that Birdlife South Africa lacks standing, and that the environmental concerns raised are based on outdated data and ignore the fragmented state of the land due to historical farming.

The Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DAFF) issued a formal objection on 18 October 2018 to the proposed extension of the Tormin Mine and its infrastructure expansion. The Department cites the applicant's history of unlawful expansions and non-compliance with existing environmental authorisations as primary reasons for adopting a 'risk-averse and cautious approach' and objecting to the development.

This Terrestrial Ecology Specialist EIA report, produced by Simon Todd Consulting for SRK Consulting, assesses the ecological impacts of the proposed expansion of the Tormin Mineral Sands Mine on the West Coast of South Africa. The expansion includes ten beach mining areas, an inland 'Strand line' mining area on farm Geelwal Karoo 262, and an infrastructure/plant expansion area. The study concludes that while the project will result in moderate habitat loss, it is environmentally acceptable provided specific mitigation measures—such as rotational mining and topsoil management—are implemented.

This terrestrial ecology EIA report, produced by Simon Todd Consulting in June 2017, assesses the ecological impacts of expanding the Tormin mineral sands mine operated by MSR. The project involves expanding beach mining across ten discrete beaches and implementing inland strip mining on farm Geelwal Karoo 262, alongside infrastructure expansions including a Mineral Separation Plant and a 22 kV powerline.

The report examines the carbon-intensive nature of steel production, highlighting ArcelorMittal South Africa's (AMSA) increasing emissions and its impact on local communities in the Vaal triangle. It argues that ArcelorMittal Group maintains a double standard by prioritizing decarbonization in Europe over the Global South. The document identifies financial institutions (such as ABSA and the IFC) and the automobile industry (including Ford and Toyota) as key stakeholders with the leverage to push for a fossil-free transition. It recommends that ArcelorMittal end coal use by 2040 and provide verifiable asset-by-asset transformation plans by 2025.

The document asserts that natural gas is not a clean energy source, detailing how its production, transport, and combustion cause significant environmental degradation and health issues. It highlights the potency of methane leaks and the high carbon emissions from LNG and gas-to-power plants, particularly in the South African context. The author recommends a holistic lifecycle impact assessment to counter the misconception that gas is a viable strategy for reducing emissions.

The briefing argues that the EU's RePowerEU target to produce 35 billion m3 of biomethane by 2030 lacks an environmental impact assessment, creating risks of methane leakage and the intensification of industrial livestock farming. It finds that no existing EU policy sufficiently mitigates the environmental and social impacts of the sector, and that financial frameworks may channel over €37 billion into projects without robust sustainability checks. The report highlights a systemic issue with methane leaks, noting that real-world losses may be higher than official estimates, and warns that using biomethane to maintain existing gas grids could delay the phase-out of fossil fuels.

The European Union is the global leader in biogas production, reaching 22.8 billion m3 in 2024. While promoted as a renewable energy source, the report argues that the sector risks causing significant environmental harm through methane leakages, the incentivisation of industrial animal farming, and the use of food crops as feedstock. It further contends that the injection of biomethane into existing gas grids may postpone the transition to truly sustainable energy systems by locking in fossil gas infrastructure. The report examines the policy landscapes of seven European countries, noting that while most support biogas expansion, regulatory safeguards against these environmental risks are often insufficient. It also details the role of major oil, gas, utility, and agri-food companies in the sector and identifies the primary financial institutions providing credit and investment to biogas producers.

The report examines the industrial aquaculture sector's dependence on fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO), highlighting how the extraction of forage fish disrupts marine food webs and undermines food security in vulnerable coastal regions. It criticizes the lack of transparency in supply chains and the inadequacy of current certification schemes, while calling for a transition toward herbivorous species and alternative proteins to protect ocean health.

The report details the environmental and social harms of offshore oil and gas, from seismic exploration and production to transportation and decommissioning, asserting that these activities exacerbate the triple planetary crises of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

The document contains an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Reconnaissance Energy Namibia (Pty) Ltd's proposed drilling of stratigraphic wells in the Kavango Basin, Namibia, and a technical report on shale oil and gas resources in South Africa's Karoo Basin.

The report details a global surge in plastics production capacity driven by cheap fossil fuel feedstocks. In the US, shale gas has led to planned investments of $164 billion for 264 new or expanded facilities. China is heavily investing in carbon-intensive coal-to-olefins technology to overcome a lack of natural gas. Meanwhile, the Middle East continues to leverage oil and gas, and Europe is seeing new investments enabled by US liquefied natural gas shipments. The report warns that this capacity expansion could lock in high plastic production for decades, exacerbating environmental pollution and the climate crisis.

The report details the financial mechanisms supporting over 100 planned petrochemical projects in the US, primarily in the Gulf South. It finds that a small number of global banks and asset managers provide the majority of this capital, despite mounting market overcapacity, litigation risks, and environmental harms. The document calls for immediate divestment and the adoption of strict climate-aligned policies by financial institutions.

The document examines how fuel subsidies in the EU fishing fleet incentivise overfishing, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and provide a competitive advantage to environmentally damaging, fuel-intensive fishing methods like trawling. It argues that removing these subsidies—estimated at €1 billion to €1.5 billion annually—would promote energy efficiency, support fish stock recovery, and benefit small-scale fishers, who currently receive less support than large-scale and distant-water fleets.

The research paper assesses the carbon footprint and economic drivers of China's aluminium and steel industries. It highlights that primary aluminium production contributes significantly to global GHG emissions, particularly when accounting for coal-fired electricity. The paper also examines how export VAT refund rates and trade policies influence the production and export of these metals, using data from the World Bank and China Custom House to illustrate trends between 2003 and 2008.

The document criticizes a July 2020 EPA rule that postpones the closure of coal ash ponds, allowing utilities to continue dumping toxic waste into leaking basins until as late as 2038. It asserts that this rollback ignores the risks of groundwater contamination, catastrophic dam failures, and the increased threat of storm-driven flooding due to climate change, disproportionately impacting low-income communities and communities of color.

The document criticizes a proposed EPA rule that would allow coal ash ponds to remain open until 2038, arguing that this delay prolongs the leakage of toxins into groundwater and increases the risk of catastrophic dam failures, disproportionately affecting low-income communities and communities of color.

The report examines the environmental and health risks associated with dumping coal combustion waste (CCW), or coal ash, into active and abandoned coal mines across the United States. It argues that this practice, often labeled as 'beneficial use' or 'recycling' to bypass regulations, allows toxic metals to leach into groundwater and surface water. The document highlights the failure of the U.S. EPA and the Office of Surface Mining to implement necessary safeguards, noting that minefilling is driven by economic incentives, reducing disposal costs by 89 to 95 percent compared to engineered landfills. It specifically identifies the increased risks from Fluidized Bed Combustion (FBC) plants and provides case studies of contamination in Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The report concludes by urging the EPA to adopt the National Academies of Sciences' recommendations for mandatory testing, site characterization, and long-term monitoring.