Search Climate Insights Directory

This statement by the Youth Policy Committee Gender Working Group of the South African Institute of International Affairs highlights the disparity between South Africa's progressive constitutional protections for LGBTQIA+ individuals and the lived reality of hate crimes, discrimination, and systemic violence they face.

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.

This policy brief proposes the creation of a legislated National Strategy and Development Council (NSDC) within the South African presidency to centralize national strategy and ensure institutional continuity across different administrations. It specifically advocates for restructuring the International Relations Trade and Security (IRTS) cabinet cluster into a directorate and establishing an independent, non-governmental Council on International Relations and Cooperation (CIRC) to provide expert advice and research.

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 monograph examines the use and misuse of less-lethal weapons (LLWs) within South African prisons and by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Public Order Police (POP) units during crowd management from 2013 to 2018. It analyzes the legal and regulatory frameworks of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and SAPS, highlighting systemic failures in accountability, the use of equipment as instruments of torture, and the lethal consequences of weapons marketed as 'less-lethal'.

This report reviews the status of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in South Africa, detailing the country's policy frameworks, institutional arrangements, and practical implementation of nature-based solutions to enhance climate resilience.

This report provides a management framework for South Africa's Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs), which produce over 50% of the region's mean annual runoff from 10% of the land. It details the economic importance of SWSAs, their role in supporting millions of people and the national economy, and provides specific implementation guidelines for the forestry, agriculture, and mining sectors to mitigate impacts on water quality and quantity. It advocates for the integration of SWSA maps into strategic spatial planning and the expansion of protected areas.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing the Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle Campaign, submitted a formal statement to the Portfolio Committee on Energy on 29 November 2017. The document outlines critical concerns regarding the lack of transparency, inadequate public consultation, and the omission of key economic and environmental data in the development of South Africa's draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for Electricity Update and the draft Integrated Energy Plan (IEP).

This research paper examines how voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) act as both barriers and enablers for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) attempting to enter global value chains (GVCs) coordinated by multinational corporations (MNCs), with a specific focus on South Africa and Kenya as regional economic gateways.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the role of civic technology and open data in driving accountability in South Africa. It argues that technology alone is not a solution for social change and proposes the 'accountability stack' framework, which prioritizes human-centric problem solving over the mere delivery of digital tools.

South Africa's 2nd Biennial Update Report (BUR-2) provides a comprehensive overview of the country's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2000 to 2012, its mitigation strategies, and the financial and technical support received to transition toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy by 2030.

The SAIIA Youth Policy Committee issued a statement condemning xenophobia in South Africa, calling for national unity, government intervention to stop violence, and a national discussion to address the root causes of the attacks.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International criticizing the South African government's February 2014 decision to grant air quality standard postponements to major industrial entities, including Eskom, Sasol, and Engen, which the organization argues prioritizes corporate profit over public health.

This report by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) analyzes the implementation of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (PAIA) in South Africa between January 2010 and August 2014. It details the challenges in accessing environmental governance and management records from government departments, parastatals, and private bodies, highlighting a trend of using the protection of third-party commercial information to refuse requests.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the persistence of political killings in post-apartheid South Africa, noting a high concentration of these incidents in KwaZulu-Natal and a low rate of criminal convictions.

The July 2014 Peace & Security Council (PSC) Report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the African Union's (AU) handling of unconstitutional changes of government in Egypt, the deteriorating security situation in Libya, the challenges of post-conflict reconstruction and development (PCRD) in Africa, and the strategic partnership between the AU PSC and the UN Security Council.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several environmental justice organisations, submitted comments on 21 February 2014 regarding the Draft National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory System (NAEIS) Reporting Regulations. The submission primarily argues that the draft regulations fail to ensure adequate public access to atmospheric emission data and provides recommendations to align the regulations with constitutional rights to information and a healthy environment.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyses the state of Russia–South Africa relations as of October 2013. It examines the historical development of bilateral ties, the mechanisms of political and economic cooperation, and the challenges hindering deeper engagement, such as weak civil society links and a lack of mutual knowledge.

The National Chairman's Annual Statement of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), delivered on 27 March 2013, analyzes South Africa's strategic position within a multipolar world. It discusses the role of the BRICS forum, the necessity of strengthening ties with other African regional powers, and the impact of domestic instability and military casualties in the Central African Republic on South Africa's global prestige and soft power.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, acting on behalf of groundWork, the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), and the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance (VEJA), submitted comments on 5 February 2013 regarding the draft National Dust Control Regulations published on 7 December 2012 under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (AQA). The submission argues for stronger protections for vulnerable populations, more rigorous monitoring standards, and the inclusion of government entities in enforcement.