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The COP29 South African Youth Statement, presented by the Youth Policy Committee Global Change Working Group via Youth@SAIIA, outlines a comprehensive set of demands for the South African government delegation to COP29. The statement advocates for a climate justice approach that integrates human rights, gender equality, and social justice, calling for urgent reforms in water sanitation, waste management, and the energy transition to protect marginalized communities.

This report provides an overview of the South African electricity market, focusing on the energy services (ES) value chain, which comprises rooftop solar PV, energy storage, and energy efficiency. It details the drivers of market growth—including rolling blackouts and rising electricity costs—the roles of key industry players, and the regulatory framework governing the sector.

This insights brief by the Southern African Resilience Academy (SARA) examines the role of urban informality in building equitable resilience in cities across southern Africa and the Global South. It argues that while informality is often invisible or viewed as a challenge, it provides critical services, livelihoods, and innovation that can enhance urban resilience if harnessed through inclusive governance and partnerships.

The 2023 Energy Services Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape analyzes the growth of South Africa's energy services market, driven by load shedding and rising electricity costs. Key opportunities include rooftop solar PV (projected 10 GWp by 2035), battery storage (projected R32.5 billion by 2035), and smart meters (projected R40 billion by 2035). While technology costs are falling and financing is becoming more accessible, the market faces barriers such as port inefficiencies and a shortage of technical skills.

The 2023 Water Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape identifies significant investment opportunities in South Africa's public wastewater infrastructure, specifically focusing on metropolitan municipalities. The report highlights a critical state of existing infrastructure, the potential for circular economy solutions through sludge beneficiation, and the need for energy efficiency and renewable energy interventions to combat rising costs and energy insecurity.

This briefing by the Public Affairs Research Institute provides a summary of the findings and recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (the Zondo Commission). The Commission investigated systemic corruption in South Africa between January 2018 and June 2022, focusing on how private actors, specifically the Gupta enterprise, collaborated with state officials to redirect public resources for private gain.

This statement, submitted in April 2021 by the Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA), the South African Medical Association, and Amref Health Africa, provides recommendations for South Africa's updated draft Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The authors argue that the draft's emission reduction targets are insufficient to protect public health and urge the government to align targets with a 2°C goal. The document emphasizes the critical link between climate action and health outcomes, proposing a 'One Health' approach and a policy roadmap focusing on energy, food and agriculture, and transportation to maximize health and equity co-benefits.

A statement from the Centre for Environmental Rights, on behalf of the Life After Coal Campaign, urging the Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries to prioritise the Climate Change Bill and accelerate South Africa's transition away from fossil fuels to mitigate severe climate risks.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that the electric vehicle (EV) revolution presents Southern African states with an opportunity to transform their economic trajectories through a systemic innovation approach. It advocates for a 'just e-volution' that integrates the mining, automotive, and energy sectors to move toward a low-carbon economy, specifically suggesting a 'Green New Deal' for the SADC region to avoid becoming a dumping ground for obsolete internal combustion engine technology.

The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) issued a statement condemning recent xenophobic violence in South Africa, calling for political leadership to stop scapegoating migrants and for the state to prosecute criminals and implement civic education based on common humanity.

This report projects that Eskom's planned non-compliance with South Africa's Minimum Emission Standards (MES) would lead to an estimated 16,000 avoidable premature deaths and significant excess emissions of SO2, NOx, particulate matter, and mercury. The health impacts are particularly acute in the Gauteng region, where 3,100 premature deaths could be avoided through full compliance. The analysis also highlights that mercury deposition would exceed health risk thresholds over 89,000km², affecting 3.4 million people.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute and the Energy Research Centre examines the potential significant decline of coal production in South Africa over the next five to ten years and the requirements for ensuring a "just transition."

The South Africa’s Low-Emission Development Strategy (SA LEDS) 2050 is a strategic framework designed to transition South Africa to a low-carbon growth path by 2050. It aligns national policies with the Paris Agreement and the country's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), focusing on a 'peak, plateau and decline' emissions trajectory. The strategy outlines sectoral measures for energy, industry, agriculture, forestry, and waste, while emphasizing a 'Just Transition' to ensure socio-economic upliftment and job security during the shift away from fossil fuels.

The South Africa Green Economy Barometer 2018 evaluates the country's transition toward a fair, green economy, awarding it a score of 5 out of 10. While South Africa possesses strong policy foundations, such as the National Development Plan and the 2011 Green Economy Accord, the report finds that the economy remains locked into carbon-intensive 'brown' systems, particularly in energy and mining, and fails to adequately include marginalized populations and the informal sector in its transition.

The 2015 Shadow Report by the Promotion of Access to Information Civil Society Network (PAIA CSN) evaluates the implementation of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) in South Africa between 1 August 2014 and 31 July 2015. The report finds that while the right to access information is constitutionally enshrined, public bodies frequently undermine this right through non-compliance with statutory timeframes, failure to provide legitimate grounds for refusal, and poor record-keeping. The report highlights a contrast between the relatively better compliance of private bodies and the systemic failures of various state departments, while advocating for the urgent appointment of an independent Information Regulator to provide an alternative to costly litigation.

This report evaluates the first five years of South Africa's metropolitan police departments (MPDs), noting their heavy focus on traffic enforcement over crime prevention due to resource constraints and a lack of investigative powers. It also details the transformation of public order policing into Area Crime Combating Units (ACCUs) and assesses the impact of 'zero tolerance' community courts in the Western Cape, finding that while they improve access to justice, some (like the Cape Town court) may disproportionately target homeless populations.

A statement from the South African Department of Environmental Affairs granting ArcelorMittal South Africa Limited (Pretoria Steel Works) a suspension of compliance time-frames for certain minimum emission standards under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004 for the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2030.

The Community Casebook on Mining and Environment is a guide published by the Centre for Environmental Rights to empower South African communities facing mining or prospecting applications. It explains the legal framework of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA), the duties of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), and provides four case studies where communities used legal mechanisms—including judicial reviews and appeals—to challenge mining rights or demand financial transparency from traditional authorities.

This guide outlines the criteria and risk assessments for mining activities within high-importance biodiversity priority areas. It establishes a rigorous set of filters and a risk-averse approach to determine if mining is an optimal land use compared to the preservation of critical ecosystems and water resources.

This technical factsheet outlines energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities in sludge management for South African wastewater treatment works. It highlights that sludge treatment can account for 35% of a plant's energy use and suggests optimizations in sedimentation, dewatering, and stabilization (particularly anaerobic digestion for biogas). It also details various financing mechanisms, such as grants and energy performance contracts, to help municipalities improve regulatory compliance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.