Search Climate Insights Directory

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing groundWork and Earthlife Africa, submitted a formal statement to the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries opposing the proposed Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (SEZ), also known as the South African Energy and Metallurgical Special Economic Zone (EMSEZ). The CER argues that the project's environmental impact assessment (EIA) process is fatally flawed and that the project poses severe risks to water resources, air quality, and climate commitments.

A letter from the Life After Coal Campaign to the South African Minister of Health inquiring about the Minister's participation in the WHO's First Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health and highlighting the severe health and economic costs of air pollution in South Africa.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several environmental justice organisations, submitted provisional comments on June 29, 2018, regarding the Department of Environmental Affairs' (DEA) proposed amendments to the 2012 National Framework for Air Quality Management in South Africa. The CER argues that the public consultation process was inadequate and that the draft Framework fails to address systemic failures in air quality monitoring, enforcement, and the achievement of previous targets.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, representing the Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle Campaign, submitted representations on June 25, 2018, regarding proposed amendments to the List of Activities resulting in atmospheric emissions. While supporting the elimination of 'rolling postponements' for minimum emission standards (MES), the submission argues for stricter requirements for once-off suspensions, greater transparency in application documents, and a more robust public participation process.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, representing the Life After Coal Campaign, submitted representations to the South African Department of Environmental Affairs supporting the removal of 'rolling postponements' for minimum emission standards. The CER argues for stricter health-based emission limits for facilities seeking suspensions, mandatory public disclosure of decommissioning schedules, and a more robust public participation process, while highlighting that current national air quality standards are inadequate compared to WHO guidelines.

A letter from the Life After Coal Campaign and Greenpeace Africa to the South African Minister of Energy, objecting to the proposed Thabametsi and Khanyisa coal-fired independent power producer (IPP) projects. The authors argue that these projects are legally precarious, environmentally damaging, and economically unnecessary compared to renewable energy alternatives.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several environmental justice organizations, submitted preliminary comments on the 2017 draft review of South Africa's National Framework for Air Quality Management. The submission criticizes the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) for failing to meet previous targets, lacking transparency in progress reviews, and neglecting meaningful public participation in high-pollution priority areas.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting for several environmental justice organisations, submitted comments on the Department of Environmental Affairs' (DEA) Draft Air Quality Offset Policy. The CER and its clients oppose the use of offsets in principle, arguing they serve as a "cheap option to avoid compliance" with emission standards and could undermine the constitutional right to a healthy environment. The submission highlights significant gaps in the draft policy, including a lack of clear criteria for determining offsets, poor institutional capacity for monitoring and enforcement, and failure to address equity and distributional effects.

The 2012 National Framework for Air Quality Management in the Republic of South Africa is a strategic plan designed to implement the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (AQA). It establishes a comprehensive governance cycle for air quality management, delineating roles across national, provincial, and municipal governments, and sets norms for ambient air quality standards, emission controls, and information management via the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS).

The document contains excerpts from the 2007 and 2012 National Frameworks for Air Quality Management in South Africa. It outlines the identification of pollutants of concern, the process for rating municipalities based on air quality status, and the establishment of national priority areas to address air pollution.