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The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) is seeking funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to prepare a detailed project proposal titled "Ecosystem-based Approaches for transforming smallholder farming systems that are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in South Africa". The preparatory phase, estimated to take 9 months, involves hiring a consultancy firm to conduct a series of ten technical studies and consultations. These activities include climate risk and vulnerability assessments, pre-feasibility studies, and gender analyses across four priority provinces: KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo. The ultimate goal is to design a project that provides tailored climate information via a Multi-Hazard Early Warning System and transforms farming systems using nature-based solutions to mitigate risks from floods, droughts, and veld fires.

The Life after Coal Campaign and the Fair Finance Coalition Southern Africa argue that the JET-IP is heavily skewed toward private sector interests and large-scale infrastructure, specifically green hydrogen, at the expense of community-led renewable energy and social investment. They highlight critical gaps in policy alignment, the lack of transparency regarding debt and loan agreements, and the failure to adequately address the health impacts of air pollution at the Medupi and Kusile power stations. The authors call for a reprioritization of funding toward transmission grid strengthening and socially owned energy models, while warning that the current approach to decommissioning coal plants, as seen at Komati, lacks the necessary community participation to be considered 'just'.

The Life After Coal Campaign opposes Eskom's plan to install temporary bypass stacks at the Kusile power station, which would allow unabated SO2 emissions to restore generating capacity. The campaign argues that this proposal poses grave risks to human health, potentially causing up to 1,362 air pollution-related deaths and R25 billion in societal costs over 36 months at high utilization. They challenge the claim that the bypass will restore 2,160 MW, noting the plant's historical 33% capacity performance. Instead of the bypass, the campaign proposes investing the funds into solar PV and wind installations to accelerate the coal phase-out.

The report argues that the proposed Lephalale Coal and Power Project (LCPP) poses substantial health risks to surrounding communities in Limpopo, South Africa. It critiques the project's official Air Quality Impact Assessment (AQIA) for failing to provide quantifiable health risk estimates and for relying on weak national air quality standards. In contrast, the report supports findings from the Centre for Research into Energy and Clean Air (CREA), which identifies significant morbidity and mortality risks and an 'unfunded liability' of US$33.6 billion in externalised health costs. The author provides a comprehensive review of peer-reviewed literature linking coal-related pollutants—including particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), nitrogen oxides, and mercury—to respiratory, cardiovascular, neurocognitive, and maternal health disorders, as well as various cancers.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) and Climate Finance for Equitable Transitions (CLiFT) argue that the JET-IP's strategy of 'de-risking' private finance is insufficient to mobilise the required R1.5 trillion and exposes South Africa to significant fiscal, legal, and social risks. The authors contend that the plan fails to meet National Determined Contributions (NDCs) due to an over-reliance on private renewable energy and a lack of investment in public transport and energy efficiency. They recommend shifting to a 'rights-based' governance framework and an 'allocative credit policy' that prioritises public investment, local manufacturing, and comprehensive social protections for workers and communities.

The document challenges the National Air Quality Officer's (NAQO) decisions to allow Eskom to delay compliance with emission standards. It argues that such postponements are unlawful under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA) and the 2017 National Framework, particularly for plants in the Highveld Priority Area (HPA). The submission provides evidence of Eskom's extensive history of emission exceedances and the resulting health costs, including thousands of projected premature deaths. It further asserts that the technology to abate sulphur dioxide (SO2) is feasible and economically beneficial, contradicting Eskom's claims of impracticality.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) is a South African public interest law organisation that uses litigation and advocacy to defend the constitutional right to a healthy environment. Between 2009 and 2023, CER achieved landmark judgments on climate change (Thabametsi), air pollution (Deadly Air), and the protection of activists against SLAPP suits. The organisation operates four main programmes: Pollution & Climate Change, Corporate Accountability & Transparency, Activist Support & Training, and Mining. CER emphasizes an intersectional approach, focusing on the disproportionate impact of pollution on poor and Black communities and promoting women's leadership within the environmental justice movement.

The 2023 Water Market Intelligence Report highlights a critical state of wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) in South Africa, with 39% requiring urgent intervention. It identifies three primary investment areas: the restoration of municipal infrastructure (estimated at R8.14 billion), the circular economy potential of sludge beneficiation, and the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency (EE) technologies to reduce high operational costs. The report notes significant funding gaps and municipal capacity constraints but points to regulatory drivers, such as the 2019 liquid waste landfill ban, as catalysts for private sector involvement.

The report identifies significant growth potential in South Africa's large-scale renewable energy sector, driven by the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019 and the removal of licensing thresholds for private generation. While public procurement via the REIPPPP has historically led the market, grid constraints in the Northern and Western Cape now limit project viability. Private procurement is surging, particularly among energy-intensive mining companies. The report also highlights emerging opportunities in battery energy storage systems (BESS), green hydrogen, and local manufacturing of components, while noting the systemic risk posed by Eskom's debt and the ongoing unbundling of the national utility.

The document defines a just energy transition as a shift toward sustainable energy that incorporates environmental justice, ensuring marginalized groups are central to decision-making. It analyzes South Africa's current energy system, which is dominated by coal (approximately 80%), and outlines the legal frameworks, such as the Constitution and NEMA, that support community rights. The guide provides practical steps for accessing information via PAIA, securing free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), and participating in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). It also highlights the potential for community-based renewable energy initiatives, using a case study from Kenya to illustrate successful local ownership.

The document serves as a legal resource for South African communities to navigate the transition from fossil-fuel-based energy to renewable sources. It defines the Just Energy Transition (JET) and environmental justice, analyzes South Africa's current energy mix—which is 80% coal-dependent—and outlines the legal frameworks, such as the Constitution and the National Environmental Management Act, that support community participation. The guide provides practical steps for accessing information via PAIA requests, securing Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and engaging in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). It also highlights the potential for community-based renewable energy initiatives and the importance of Community Development Agreements to ensure local benefits.

The report outlines a strategic framework to transition South Africa's TVET system toward a green hydrogen economy (GHE). It identifies critical gaps in current vocational training, such as low throughput and poor industry alignment, and proposes a 'demand-led' model using Centres of Specialisation (CoS). Through four quantitative scenarios, the report forecasts that an 'All-inclusive Portfolio' of domestic use and exports would maximize GDP growth and TVET job creation by 2050. Key recommendations include developing a Green Skills Master Plan, implementing nano-credentialing, and reskilling workers from sunset industries like coal mining into growth sectors such as platinum mining and green steel.

The Institute for Economic Justice criticizes the $8.5-billion Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) in South Africa, arguing that its reliance on loans and private-sector 'de-risking' rather than grants will increase energy costs and benefit foreign investors while neglecting local manufacturing and worker protections. The document further condemns the secretive nature of the negotiations, which it claims undermines procedural justice and excludes key stakeholders.

The Institute for Economic Justice argues that South Africa's JETP is a flawed climate finance model that relies heavily on loans rather than grants, benefiting private Independent Power Producers (IPPs) while leaving the state with the financial risk. The author contends that the deal lacks transparency, fails to adequately fund the localization of the renewable energy value chain, and provides insufficient social security for workers in the coal belt.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) issued a statement to the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) raising concerns regarding transparency, environmental compliance, and climate impact assessments for onshore gas and petroleum activities. The CER highlights a lack of public information on rights holders and questions the legality of specific projects and the use of hydraulic fracturing.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that South Africa's current approach to a just transition is dominated by market-based solutions and 'techno-fixes' that preserve a problematic economic structure. The report identifies the Minerals-Energy Complex (MEC) and neoliberal macroeconomic frameworks as primary drivers of both climate emissions and social inequality. To counter this, the IEJ proposes a 'caring rights-based economy' centered on human and planetary well-being, advocating for public ownership of energy, a job guarantee, and restorative justice to address historical losses. The document outlines specific measures across social, industrial, labour, land, and macroeconomic policies to ensure the transition does not exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, particularly for Black women and coal-sector workers.

The report provides a gendered analysis of the South African large-scale mining (LSM) sector, identifying a slow increase in female representation from 10% in 2015 to over 17% by 2020. While women are increasingly outperforming men in STEM and tertiary education, they remain under-represented in core mining operations and decision-making roles. The analysis highlights significant barriers, including a gender pay gap estimated between 23% and 35%, lack of gender-specific PPE, and persistent issues with gender-based violence and harassment. It recommends the development of a national gender strategy for mining, improved sex-disaggregated data collection, and targeted STEM career development to ensure a just transition to a low-carbon economy.

The Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle Campaign, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights, groundWork, and Earthlife Africa, submitted comments on the Climate Change Bill, 2022. The submission argues that the Bill is insufficient to address the climate emergency and lacks the urgency, ambition, and enforcement mechanisms necessary to meet South Africa's international obligations under the Paris Agreement and protect constitutional rights.

The South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM) outlines a framework to localise the wind, solar PV, and battery energy storage value chains. It argues that localising 70% of components and 90% of Balance of Plant (BoP) and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) could create 36,500 direct jobs and contribute R420 billion to GDP by 2030. The plan emphasizes the need for market certainty through consistent public procurement and the transition to a points-based local content scoring system to incentivize high-value manufacturing over simple CAPEX spend. It specifically targets 'Just Transition hotspots' like Mpumalanga to pivot coal-sector workers into the green economy.

The report examines the intersection of the IMF's expanding climate mandate and South Africa's transition from a coal-dependent economy. It highlights the risks of the IMF's traditional austerity-driven policy toolkit and recommends a more inclusive, transparent approach that prioritizes social justice and long-term stability over short-term fiscal consolidation.