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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 document argues that a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) for South Africans aged 18 to 59 is fiscally viable and would stimulate economic growth while reducing poverty. Based on research with Applied Development Research Solutions (ADRS), it proposes three implementation pathways (low, medium, and high speed) from 2023 to 2030. The analysis suggests that UBIG would increase GDP growth to between 2.8% and 3.5% by 2030 and reduce poverty by 67% over the next two decades. Financing options include a wealth tax on the top 1% of the population, a Social Security Tax (SST), and VAT returns, as low-income recipients tend to spend their grants on VAT-rated basic goods, returning approximately 12% to the government.

The IEJ 2023–2027 Strategy transitions the organisation from a 'start-up' to a 'consolidation' and 'growth' phase. It aims to challenge neoliberal economic orthodoxies through a research-policy-advocacy nexus, promoting heterodox and feminist economic analysis. The strategy identifies five key objectives: advancing inclusive macroeconomic frameworks, growing communities of practice for progressive economic thinking, supporting just transitions in response to the climate crisis and changing work, popularising economic justice policies, and strengthening internal organisational capacity.

The document identifies that while violence prevention interventions in South Africa are effective, scaling them is hindered by limited implementation capacity, a tension between evidence-based fidelity and community responsiveness, and inadequate staff support. It highlights that intensive programmes reach fewer people but are common, while light-touch campaigns have wider reach. Key barriers to success include the difficulty of recruiting fathers, participant attrition due to unemployment, and a lack of technical M&E skills among NGOs. The authors recommend that the government develop flexible monitoring frameworks and conduct a national baseline mapping of community-based interventions to support the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.

The report evaluates the African Union's (AU) first two decades, highlighting a significant gap between the creation of ambitious normative and institutional frameworks and their actual implementation. While the AU has succeeded in establishing a continental legal order and promoting multi-party democracy, it struggles with institutional incapacity, over-reliance on external funding, and a lack of political will among member states to cede sovereignty. Key areas of analysis include the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the role of women and youth in governance. The authors argue that for the AU to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063, it must shift from a state-centric model to a people-driven organization, enhance its self-reliance, and translate its existing norms into tangible outcomes.

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 community guide to South Africa's energy transition, explaining the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy through the lens of environmental justice. It details the current energy mix—dominated by coal—and the legal frameworks, such as the Constitution and NEMA, that protect community rights to information and a healthy environment. The guide provides practical steps for accessing government information via PAIA, ensuring Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and participating in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). It also highlights the potential for community-led renewable energy projects, using a case study from Kenya to illustrate successful local energy 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 document analyzes the gap between the formal legal recognition of climate justice and its practical application in Africa's mining and petroleum sectors. It highlights systemic failures in enforcement, the limitations of current judicial and administrative sanctions, and the marginalization of local communities. The report advocates for a shift toward 'active' judiciaries, the adoption of specific climate laws, and the strengthening of corporate due diligence to protect vulnerable populations from the environmental and social impacts of extractive activities.

The report details a conference focused on the slow implementation of the Zondo Commission's recommendations. Key discussions highlighted failures in parliamentary oversight, the need for a dedicated anti-corruption agency for public procurement, and the structural flaws of state-owned enterprises. It emphasizes that while the Presidency claims progress in legislative reform and criminal investigations, civil society and legal experts argue that systemic corruption requires a broader approach beyond mere prosecution, including incentivised whistleblowing and a fundamental shift in political culture.

The 2023 Production Gap Report finds that global governments plan to produce significantly more fossil fuels by 2030 and 2050 than is consistent with the 1.5°C warming limit. Despite net-zero pledges, many major producers continue to plan increases in coal, oil, and gas extraction. The report argues for a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, noting that reliance on carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is risky due to technical and economic uncertainties.

The report examines food wastage at the primary production level in South Africa, identifying environmental factors as the primary cause of food loss and behavioural issues as a key driver of food waste. It highlights a critical lack of baseline data, with fewer than 40% of surveyed farmers measuring their waste. While farmers are motivated by financial viability and moral responsibility to reduce waste, they face significant logistical, financial, and regulatory barriers, including high transport costs and strict export standards. The document recommends the development of centralised redistribution contacts and validated waste-tracking tools to help South Africa meet SDG 12.3.

The Mgundeni community in northern KwaZulu-Natal became the first land reform community in South Africa to sign a voluntary biodiversity stewardship agreement in 2009. In partnership with WWF and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the community has implemented sustainable livestock and vegetable projects, restored 124 ha of land, and adopted rotational grazing and fire management practices. These initiatives led to a significant increase in cattle herd size and a reduction in winter mortality rates, resulting in the community receiving the 2022 WWF Living Planet Award.

The study uses a dynamic input-output model to compare a business-as-usual baseline against two scenarios: an immediate ban (2024–2025) of four products and a phased withdrawal (2025–2030) of six others. Findings indicate that both interventions lead to positive economic outcomes, including real GDP and employment expansion, while reducing the costs of externalities. However, the transition would cause job losses in plastic production and a modest net increase in greenhouse gas emissions due to increased activity in substitute-producing sectors.

The document explains the balance between removing invasive eucalyptus species to protect biodiversity and water resources and maintaining these trees as critical nectar sources for the honeybee industry. It details the specific categories of invasive species, the legal requirements for removal in sensitive areas, and the process for obtaining permits to retain certain trees for beekeeping purposes.

The document explains that while six eucalyptus species are classified as invasive in South Africa and must be removed from sensitive areas, gum trees are critical to the beekeeping industry, providing an estimated 50% of the national honey crop. It details the Alien and Invasive Species regulations under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004, specifying that all gum species must be removed from riparian areas due to high water usage, regardless of invasiveness. Landowners are guided on how to apply for Category 2 permits to retain listed gums for specific functions like bee forage, and are provided with best practices for safe tree removal and the establishment of indigenous pollinator-friendly habitats.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) reports on its 2022 efforts to bridge funding and measurement gaps in climate resilience. Key activities include the Innovative Finance for Resilience initiative in Uganda and Sudan, the RAIN Challenge for agriculture in East Africa, and the launch of the PREPARE Call to Action for the private sector at COP27. The GRP also coordinated the COP Resilience Hub, which engaged 15,000 people, and advanced South-to-South Resilience Academies focusing on food systems in southern Africa and Loss and Damage in South Asia.

Good Governance Africa calls on the re-elected ANC leadership to move beyond internal divisions and address critical national challenges, specifically the energy crisis and the need for stable coalition governance ahead of the 2024 elections.

In 2022, global coal emissions were poised to reach record highs due to energy disruptions, yet the year also saw record coal capacity retirements and cancellations. Over 95 percent of global coal consumption now occurs in markets committed to net-zero emissions or coal phaseouts. Finance has become a primary lever for this transition, with approximately $45.2 billion committed over two years, primarily through Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) in South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam. However, these funds are viewed as stepping stones, as the total investment needed for system-wide transitions—including clean energy infrastructure and just transition efforts—far exceeds current commitments. The document emphasizes the need for greater transparency in deal design and a balance between top-down country programs and bottom-up asset-level pilots to mobilize the necessary private and public capital.

A legal letter from Webber Wentzel to Pinsent Masons Africa LLP on behalf of the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), stating that the CER stands by an article published on 6 December 2022 regarding Karpowership South Africa and will resist any legal actions resulting from it.