Search Climate Insights Directory

This report details a trade mission from the Netherlands to Cape Town, South Africa, held from May 22-25, 2018. Organized by GreenCape in cooperation with the Netherlands Government, the mission focused on the circular economy and biomass valorisation, specifically targeting organic wet streams, invasive species, construction and demolition waste, plastics, and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

This fact sheet by the Climate Bonds Initiative outlines key public sector green bond policy developments in 2017 and projections for 2018. It highlights the rise of sovereign green bonds, the establishment of regional and national guidelines in Asia and Africa, the growth of the green sukuk market in Malaysia, and various financial incentives provided by governments to lower issuance costs and accelerate the transition to low-carbon infrastructure.

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.

This case study examines the development of horizontal linkages in South Africa's mining sector, highlighting how specialized expertise gained from overcoming unique geological and technical constraints allowed local suppliers to diversify into other industries and international markets. It notes that these linkages were primarily driven by market forces and private sector innovation rather than government policy, though recent policy uncertainty and skills shortages have challenged the sector's competitiveness.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing various non-governmental and community organisations, submitted recommendations to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on November 30, 2017, to strengthen the proposed amendments to the National Dust Control Regulations 2013 under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (AQA).

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 report summarizes the Sixth Annual Meeting of the San Giorgio Group, held on 8-9 May 2017 in Venice. The discussions focused on scaling up green, low-emissions finance by improving climate finance tracking, evolving financial architecture in emerging markets, overcoming funding constraints for cities, utilizing innovative financial instruments, and enhancing climate risk disclosure to accelerate the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

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.

This fact sheet by the Climate Bonds Initiative describes the use of Green City Bonds to finance climate-friendly urban infrastructure, highlighting market growth, specific regional examples such as Mexico City and the US, and various financing models for municipalities.

This fact sheet from the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) outlines the evolution of China-Africa relations, tracing them from historical ties to contemporary economic, diplomatic, and security partnerships. It highlights the role of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the shift in China's approach from 'non-interference' to active engagement in peace and security, while noting the impact of China's 'new normal' economic slowdown on bilateral trade and investment.

WWF South Africa reports that one-third of the country's food (10 million tonnes annually) is wasted, costing the economy R61.5 billion and wasting significant water and energy resources. Most waste occurs early in the supply chain, particularly in fruits and vegetables. The report highlights the environmental impact of landfill methane and the social contradiction of high waste alongside widespread hunger and childhood malnutrition. It calls for collaborative action, better data reporting via the FLW Standard, and improved consumer education on date labels to reduce waste.

This guide by the Climate Policy Initiative provides strategic advice for cities in developing countries to access green bond markets to fund low-carbon, climate-resilient infrastructure. It highlights the significant gap in capital market access for these cities and outlines both direct and indirect pathways to secure financing based on a city's creditworthiness.

This research paper examines the rapid pace of urbanisation in Africa, forecasting population trends and identifying the structural challenges that hinder sustainable urban development. It focuses on the emergence of megacities and the disconnect between urban growth and economic structural transformation.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) wrote to the Minister of Environmental Affairs on 25 October 2016 to follow up on a request to strengthen the National Dust Control Regulations. The CER expresses concern over the Department of Environmental Affairs' narrow focus on monitoring methods rather than health impacts, and objects to a proposal to increase the allowable dust limit for residential areas.

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.

This policy brief examines the misuse of electric shock equipment by law enforcement agencies in Africa, arguing that such tools often facilitate torture and ill-treatment in violation of international and regional human rights frameworks. It specifically analyzes the legal landscape of anti-torture commitments in Africa and provides a detailed case study on the South African Police Service (SAPS), recommending the prohibition of handheld and body-worn electric shock devices.

This briefing note examines the role of the informal waste sector in South Africa's recycling economy and the potential impacts of mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). It highlights the significant economic value provided by informal waste pickers in diverting materials from landfills and proposes four integration scenarios to protect livelihoods while increasing recycling rates.

The ATI Network Shadow Report 2016 analyzes the implementation of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) in South Africa based on 369 requests made by civil society organizations between August 1, 2015, and July 31, 2016. The report highlights significant barriers to accessing information from both public and private bodies, including high refusal rates, failure to meet statutory timeframes, and the misuse of grounds for refusal.

The National Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Report 2015/16, published by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), provides a comprehensive overview of environmental law enforcement activities in South Africa. It details the capacity of the Environmental Management Inspectorate (EMI), national compliance statistics, provincial performance, and specific case studies regarding industrial pollution and biodiversity crimes, particularly rhino poaching.