Search Climate Insights Directory
184 results
MANUAL ISSUED IN TERMS OF SECTION 14 OF THE PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT, 2000 (ACT NO 2 OF 2000)
This document is a PAIA Manual issued by the South African Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE). It serves as a guide for the public to exercise their constitutional right of access to information held by the Department, detailing the types of records available, the process for requesting them, and the protections afforded to personal information under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Guide
joint-cer-lac-submissions-on-nemlab_18-july-2012-7c50b551ffe4190f.pdf
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) and the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) provided joint submissions on 18 July 2012 regarding the National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Bill, 2012. The document offers a detailed critique of proposed amendments to the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), the Biodiversity Act, and the Air Quality Act, focusing on environmental governance, criminal liability, and the rights of traditional communities.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement
00206BF55FFC220803103732
This document is an appeal decision by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment of South Africa regarding the refusal of an Environmental Authorisation (EA) for Karpowership SA (Pty) Ltd's proposed Gas-to-Power via Powership Project at the Port of Richards Bay. The Minister remits the matter back to the Competent Authority (CA) to address material gaps in information and procedural defects in the public participation process.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
THE MYTH OF “CLEAN COAL”
This fact sheet by the Centre for Environmental Rights argues that "clean coal" is an impossible concept. It details the devastating impacts of coal mining and combustion in South Africa—including high water consumption, toxic air pollution causing thousands of deaths, and land degradation—and dismisses HELE, CFB, and CCS technologies as insufficient or unviable solutions compared to renewable energy.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
National Environmental Compliance & Enforcement Report 2007-8
The National Environmental Compliance & Enforcement Report 2007-8 details the activities of Environmental Management Inspectors (EMIs) in South Africa from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008. It reports a significant increase in arrests and convictions compared to the previous year, though it notes that these figures are partly due to previous underreporting. The report covers national and provincial statistics, specific industrial non-compliance findings in the steel and refinery sectors, wildlife crime enforcement, and judicial training initiatives.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
record-12.1-to-12.2-fe06178e46c2ed06.pdf
This executive summary, submitted to Eskom's Board Sustainability and Ethics Committee on 20 May 2016, details the company's environmental performance, compliance risks, and legal liabilities for the 2015/16 financial year. It highlights failures to meet emissions and water usage targets, significant financial requirements for air quality compliance, and specific legal breaches of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and the National Water Act.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Executive summary
record-4.1-to-4.2-9177ca46e7888d9a.pdf
This March 2013 executive summary and accompanying board minutes detail Eskom's 'Environmental Compliance and Performance Journey Map'. The document outlines a strategy to address systemic environmental non-compliance, specifically regarding air emissions, water usage, and biodiversity, while acknowledging that production pressures and resource constraints have hindered the utility's ability to meet statutory standards.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Executive summary
STOP TREADING WATER: WHAT CIVIL SOCIETY CAN DO TO GET WATER GOVERNANCE IN SOUTH AFRICA BACK ON TRACK
This report by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) identifies systemic failures in South Africa's water governance and provides a strategic framework for civil society to intervene. It highlights critical gaps in the implementation of the National Water Act (NWA), the failure to roll out catchment management institutions, and severe capacity constraints within the Department of Water Affairs (DWA). The document recommends a combination of legal advocacy, institutional reform, and the introduction of administrative penalties to improve compliance and ensure the progressive realisation of constitutional rights to water.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
zo-41-9f1d004e7669e639.pdf
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.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Guide
Reimagining service delivery: Innovative approaches for sustainable impact in low-income communities
This industry brief by GreenCape examines the service delivery crisis in South Africa's low-income communities and proposes Alternative Service Delivery (ASD) as a sustainable, community-led paradigm shift to bridge gaps in water, sanitation, energy, and waste management.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Briefing
Building resilience through green tech investment and water stewardship
This case study by GreenCape examines the water stewardship and resilience strategies implemented by PepsiCo, focusing on its manufacturing facility in Parow, Cape Town. The document details how the company combines site-specific technological investments, such as advanced potato peeling equipment, with catchment-level initiatives and community water access projects to achieve its goal of becoming Net Water Positive by 2030.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Case study
large-scale-renewable-energy-2025-8715449853a43df4.pdf
This 2025 Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape analyzes investment opportunities in South Africa's large-scale renewable energy sector, focusing on private off-taker development and local component manufacturing. It details the shift from public procurement to private power purchase agreements (PPAs), the impact of electricity market liberalisation, and the systemic barriers posed by grid capacity constraints and policy uncertainty.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Case study Hillview farm final 2
This case study, written by Busisiwe Mgangxela of Bafo and Busi Organic Farming (Pty) Ltd, details the systemic challenges faced by small-scale farmers on the Hillview farm, a PLAS farm in East London. The account highlights severe mal-administration, corruption within the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), and the failure of the state to provide necessary infrastructure and producer support.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Case study
iej-ubig-13-fact-sheet-2-9fb4f3125c70e2c5.pdf
This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) examines fraud within South Africa's social grant system. It argues that while the government focuses its crackdown on individual beneficiaries through automated surveillance and strict eligibility reviews, the most significant fraud by value is perpetrated by government officials and predatory third parties. The document contends that these anti-fraud measures disproportionately exclude eligible, vulnerable people—including seniors and persons with disabilities—due to flawed data and onerous compliance requirements.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Microsoft Word - CESR-S27-IEJ submission FINAL.docx
This joint submission by the Center for Economic and Social Rights, the Institute for Economic Justice, and SECTION27 argues that South Africa is implementing retrogressive austerity measures that threaten economic, social, and cultural rights. The authors contend that the government's focus on debt reduction is based on exaggerated concerns and that resources could be maximized through progressive tax reform and the eradication of corruption and 'state capture'. The document details how budget cuts and inefficient resourcing are severely undermining the public health and basic education systems, leading to critical staff shortages, infrastructure backlogs, and poor learner outcomes.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
FUNDING BASIC EDUCATION
This fact sheet, produced by the Institute for Economic Justice and SECTION27, analyzes budget trends in South Africa's basic education sector. It argues that austerity measures have led to a real-terms decline in per-learner funding, resulting in critical infrastructure failures, particularly regarding school sanitation and support for learners with disabilities, despite the constitutional right to basic education.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Stolen Opportunities: The Impact of Crime on South Africa's Poor
This report introduction examines the disproportionate impact of crime on South Africa's poor, noting that while the country has some of the world's highest violent crime rates, research and policy have historically focused on wealthier suburban and business interests.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Predatory Cyber Crime in South Africa: Current Risks and Realities
This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the increasing risks of predatory cyber crime in South Africa, driven by the proliferation of smartphones, social networking, and broadband access. It highlights the prevalence of card cloning in the hospitality sector and the gap between the availability of legislative protections and public awareness of cyber risks.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Briefing
South African Crime Quarterly 48
This editorial introduction to South African Crime Quarterly 48, written by editor Chandré Gould, critiques the narratives used in the Presidency’s 20-year review of safety and security (1994–2014). Gould argues that the state relies on simplified 'meta-narratives' of victims and perpetrators and a 'language of war' that obscures the root causes of violence and justifies state violence. The text introduces several articles in the edition that challenge these narratives, covering topics such as the pitfalls of community policing, the inefficiency of corruption responses, and the impact of punitive bail practices on prison overcrowding.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
South Africa: the ANC National Conference in 2007 vs. 2012 and the attempts to fight corruption
This briefing analyzes the shifting political dynamics within the African National Congress (ANC) leading up to the 2012 National Conference in Mangaung, contrasting it with the 2007 Polokwane conference. It further examines the challenges of combating corruption among powerful elites in South Africa, specifically citing a failed legal effort by Transnet to recover funds, and reports on Mary Robinson's keynote address regarding the erosion of the ANC's moral authority.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Briefing