Search Climate Insights Directory

The transport sector in Pakistan is projected to see a 128% increase in greenhouse gas emissions between 2012 and 2030, rising from 35.4 MtCO2e to 80.7 MtCO2e. The document identifies several mitigation strategies, prioritizing efficiency norms for passenger vehicles, road-to-rail transfers, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems, and improved car maintenance. Efficiency norms for passenger cars, taxis, and vans are identified as the highest priority, with a potential reduction of 7.45 MtCO2e by 2030. Shifting freight and passengers from road to rail is another key strategy, though rail's share of freight has dropped to under 1%, with a national target of 20%. The expansion of BRT systems in cities like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi-Islamabad, and Multan is also highlighted as a means to improve urban mobility and reduce emissions.

This fact sheet provides a detailed table and analysis of current pollutant emission rates (SO2, NOx, and PM10), estimated stack concentrations, and the emission limits requested by Eskom for 13 power stations. The document highlights inconsistencies in Eskom's reported data and argues that Eskom is effectively seeking exemptions from future Minimum Emission Standards (MES).

This document is an annual emissions report for the Camden Power Station for the 2015/2016 financial year (1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016), submitted by Eskom to the Gert Sibande District Municipality. It details the verified emissions of particulates, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and greenhouse gases, while outlining ongoing infrastructure upgrades to reduce emissions.

The report assesses the 2019 Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity (IRP) proposal to add 1500 MW of new coal generation in South Africa. It finds that high-efficiency, low-emission (HELE) technologies cannot eliminate significant greenhouse gas emissions or air pollution. Specifically, ultra-supercritical efficiency is the highest feasible thermal cycle efficiency given IRP requirements, while carbon capture (CC) and gasification technologies (IGCC and UGCC) are deemed unproven and cost-prohibitive at scale. The report highlights that circulating fluidized bed technology emits two to ten times more nitrous oxide than pulverized coal technologies. Beyond plant emissions, the coal supply chain—including mining, transport, and ash disposal—creates unavoidable air, water, and waste impacts. Finally, the report asserts that bringing new coal generation online by 2023 is unreasonable due to the time required for design and procurement.

The report argues that climate change causes profound adverse mental health implications for South Africans, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities caused by poverty and historical injustices. It highlights that exposures—such as natural disasters, water insecurity, and air pollution—lead to psychopathologies including anxiety, depression, and suicide. Children and future generations are identified as particularly vulnerable, facing psychological harms that can impair school performance and emotional well-being. The author further asserts that government decisions to continue developing coal capacity contribute to a sense of institutional betrayal and secondary trauma.

The report finds that Eskom's current retrofit plan is insufficient to address sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions, leading to significant projected mortality and economic losses. Full compliance with the MES by 2025 would avoid approximately 2,300 deaths and R42 billion in economic costs annually. The most stringent scenario, applying Best Available Technology (BAT), would reduce health impacts by over 90% by 2031 compared to the current plan.

This document consists of a final project report (2006) and a related academic paper (2013) regarding the South Durban Health Study. The research, funded by the eThekwini Municipality as part of the Multipoint Plan, assessed the impact of industrial pollution on the respiratory health of schoolchildren and adults in south Durban compared to a non-industrial northern control area. The study found that children in the industrial south had a significantly higher risk of persistent asthma and marked airway hyperreactivity, with evidence that ambient pollutants like SO2, NO2, and particulate matter contributed to decrements in lung function, particularly in sensitive subpopulations.

A letter from Eskom to the Nkangala District Municipality reporting on the availability of continuous emission monitors at Kriel Power Station for the 2015/16 financial year, as required by the Minimum Emission Standards.

The report finds that the proposed Lephalale Coal Mine (LCM) and its power plant will cause significant air quality violations and severe health and economic burdens. It argues that a previous environmental impact assessment (EIA) by GESI (2017) underestimated these impacts by neglecting mercury, existing pollution sources, and secondary PM2.5 formation. The analysis indicates that while mining alone causes 93 premature deaths, burning the coal on-site increases this to 3,120 deaths, and burning it at existing plants like Medupi or Matimba could lead to up to 41,984 premature deaths. Mercury emissions are projected to cause a loss of 3,700 IQ points and 554 lives, with significant deposition in protected ecosystems like the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve.

The document details a progression of severe climate impacts in South Africa, moving from initial disruptions in marine resources, agriculture, and water availability to eventual large-scale uninhabitability, infrastructure collapse, and mass migration as temperatures rise toward 4°C+ by 2100.

The document outlines the South African government's Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and a September 2020 determination to procure 1500MW of new coal-fired electricity from independent power producers. It argues that this decision negatively impacts public health, the climate, and electricity costs, while advocating for a transition to cheaper, cleaner renewable energy sources.

This 2017 annual emission report for the Lethabo Power Station details pollutant emissions for the 2016/2017 financial year (April 1, 2016, to March 31, 2017), as required by the station's Atmospheric Emission Licence.

This November 2006 report by Airshed Planning Professionals (Pty) Ltd, commissioned by Eskom Holdings Limited, assesses the inhalation-related health risks associated with the existing Matimba Power Station and the proposed Project Alpha power station in the Lephalale area of Limpopo Province. The study focuses on particulate matter (PM10), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), utilizing CALPUFF dispersion modelling and 2001 census population data to estimate premature mortalities and respiratory hospital admissions.

This report details the methodology and emissions inventory used for an air pollution health risk analysis concerning the existing Matimba Power Station and the proposed Project Alpha Power Station in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. It describes the use of CALMET and CALPUFF dispersion models to simulate pollutant concentrations and the subsequent application of dose-response relationships to estimate health risks, specifically total non-accidental mortality and respiratory hospital admissions.

This report section details a health risk assessment for the area surrounding the Matimba Power Station in Limpopo Province, South Africa. It evaluates the impact of air pollutants—specifically sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM10)—from power station emissions, household fuel burning, and brickmaking on non-accidental mortality and respiratory hospital admissions.

This report analyzes the health risks associated with air pollution from the existing Matimba Power Station and the proposed Project Alpha in Limpopo Province, South Africa. It compares scenarios with and without sulphur dioxide (SO2) controls for Project Alpha, estimating the impact on non-accidental mortality and respiratory hospital admissions (RHAs).

This report reviews risk factors to quantify the potential health impacts of particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions from various Eskom operations. It synthesizes global epidemiological data from organizations like the WHO and USEPA to establish risk estimates for mortality and morbidity, while incorporating South African provincial population and health data to support a health risk assessment.

The document asserts that "clean coal" is impossible, as the entire coal cycle—from mining to combustion—causes severe damage to health, water, and the climate. It critiques three specific technologies: High Efficiency, Low Emissions (HELE) plants, which only reduce CO2 by up to 20% while increasing costs; Circulating Fluidised Bed (CFB) systems, which increase solid waste and N2O emissions; and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), which remains unproven in South Africa and faces high costs and geological transport challenges. The text highlights that Eskom and Sasol are primary coal users in South Africa, and that wind and solar power are cleaner, cheaper alternatives.

This document is a response from Sasol South Africa Ltd to a request for information under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), dated 18 May 2009. It provides a detailed list of emissions and environmental data, including air pollutants, water usage, and waste management, while citing various legal and commercial reasons for withholding specific detailed datasets.

The document serves as a practical manual for South African citizens to enforce environmental rights against mining operations. It details indicators of illegal mining activity, the legal framework governing environmental crimes, and a step-by-step procedure for filing criminal charges with the police. It also explains the subsequent prosecution process and the legal protections available to whistleblowing employees.