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The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a letter to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) on 6 March 2018, requesting procedural details for public hearings regarding generation licence applications for the proposed Khanyisa and Thabametsi coal-fired power stations.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several environmental justice organizations, formally opposes the Department of Environmental Affairs' (DEA) proposal to establish an expert panel to find solutions for sulphur dioxide (SO2) abatement. The CER argues that such a panel would unnecessarily delay compliance with Minimum Emission Standards (MES), duplicate previous multi-stakeholder processes, and potentially lead to an unlawful weakening of environmental standards for major polluters Eskom and Sasol.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), on behalf of Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and groundWork, submitted supplementary objections on 5 March 2018 against the Water Use Licence Application (IWULA) and Integrated Water and Waste Water Management Plan (IWWMP) for the proposed Thabametsi coal-fired power station. The objections argue that the project is unnecessary due to excess electricity capacity, poses severe risks to the water-stressed Mokolo Catchment, and fails to account for climate change impacts and toxic coal ash disposal risks.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting on behalf of groundWork (gW), has issued an urgent request to the South African Department of Water and Sanitation for information and reasons regarding a water use licence (WUL) issued for the proposed 600 MW Khanyisa Independent Power Producer (IPP) coal-fired power station.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting for the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA) and groundWork (gW), submitted a statement to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on 1 March 2018. The statement outlines critical shortcomings in ArcelorMittal South Africa's (AMSA) Land Contamination Site Assessment Report for its Vanderbijlpark site, arguing that the report is non-compliant with the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008 (NEMWA) and fails to adequately address serious contamination migrating off-site.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative proposes a systems thinking framework to accelerate climate finance by analyzing the interactions between international public finance actors and domestic financial systems in developing countries. It identifies systemic trends, catalogues the roles of various financial actors, and provides a methodology for mapping system dynamics to optimize coordination and collaboration.

This research paper analyzes the USD 18-36 trillion climate investment gap in developing countries and identifies key barriers to scaling finance, such as access to capital and investor skill gaps. It evaluates the roles of various public finance actors—including MDBs, bilateral DFIs, and National Development Banks—highlighting that while NDBs provide the largest flows, they often lack risk mitigation tools. The authors recommend that public actors adopt more flexible capital strategies, harmonize standards, and shift from project-specific finance to broader financial system development to better leverage private investment.

This March 2018 report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC), focusing on its struggles to implement counter-terrorism frameworks, funding crises facing the AMISOM mission in Somalia, constitutional disputes in Burundi, and structural instability in the CEMAC region of Central Africa.

This policy brief argues that South Africa has experienced a 'de-norming' of human rights in its foreign policy, moving from its 1994 commitment to be a human rights promoter to a position of inconsistency and 'normative backsliding' in multilateral forums.

A letter from the Life After Coal Campaign to South Africa's Minister of Energy, Jeff Radebe, requesting a meeting to discuss the country's energy trajectory and advocating for a just transition from coal and nuclear power to renewable energy.

This guide provides indigenous communities in South Africa with information on legal instruments and tools to manage their rights and engagement during externally-led academic research processes.

This research paper analyzes the challenges facing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), contrasting it with the more established Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). It examines the political obstacles to the GCM, the unequal dynamics of migration negotiations between the African Union and the European Union, and the limitations of the GCM's February 2018 zero draft, which the author argues lacks binding accountability mechanisms.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several environmental justice organizations, issued a formal letter to the Director-General of the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on 26 February 2018. The letter demands urgent action to address air pollution in the Highveld Priority Area (HPA), specifically criticizing the DEA's handling of minimum emission standards (MES) compliance, its failure to respond to the 'Broken Promises' report, and the health impacts of emissions from Eskom and Sasol.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a formal statement to the South African Department of Environmental Affairs on 23 February 2018, requesting clarity on the strategic alignment of various climate mitigation and adaptation documents, including the 'Pathways documents'. The CER expressed concern over the lack of transparency regarding the purpose of these documents and the confidentiality of pollution prevention plans for major emitters, while arguing that climate modelling should reflect research showing that new coal-fired power capacity is unnecessary for South Africa's energy security.

This research paper evaluates South Africa's foreign policy under President Jacob Zuma, contrasting his approach with that of his predecessors. It highlights a shift toward strategic partnerships with emerging powers, specifically China and the BRICS grouping, while noting a decline in domestic human rights adherence and strained relations with the West.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), on behalf of the Life After Coal campaign and the Highveld Environmental Justice Alliance Network (HEJN), submitted formal objections to Eskom's Background Information Document (BID) regarding a second postponement application for Minimum Emission Standards (MES) at the Tutuka Power Station. The submission argues that the application is legally impermissible because Tutuka is located in the Highveld Priority Area (HPA), where ambient air quality does not comply with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), a prerequisite for any postponement. The CER further contends that Eskom's request for a "rolling postponement" is equivalent to an illegal exemption and that the BID intentionally withholds critical information regarding pollutants, timeframes, and health impacts to mislead the public and decision-makers.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting for Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and groundWork, submitted a letter to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) on 16 February 2018 requesting the postponement of public hearings for the proposed Thabametsi and Khanyisa coal-fired power stations. The CER argues that pending litigation over environmental authorisations, missing water and atmospheric emission licences, and the lack of a promulgated new Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) prevent NERSA from making a legally consistent and public-interest-based decision.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has notified the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs of its intention to challenge the Minister of Environmental Affairs' January 30, 2018, decision to uphold the environmental authorisation for the proposed Thabametsi coal-fired power station. The CER argues the decision is unreasonable and unlawful, as it relies on an outdated energy policy to justify a project with very high greenhouse gas emissions and water scarcity risks, contradicting a previous High Court judgment regarding the necessity of independent climate impact assessments.

This research paper outlines three critical areas of reform required for Cyril Ramaphosa to restore South Africa's national strength and international standing following the presidency of Jacob Zuma. The author argues that the country must restore the rule of law, reform the management of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and invest in education to combat high youth unemployment and economic stagnation.

A letter from the Life After Coal Campaign to the Chairman of Eskom's Board of Directors, arguing that Eskom's reliance on coal-fired power is economically unsustainable and creates severe liabilities regarding human health, water, and the environment.