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This report by Krutham, commissioned by the African Climate Foundation, examines the role of the insurance sector in enhancing climate resilience in South Africa. It analyzes the physical and transition risks facing insurers, the gaps in national and municipal disaster risk financing, and the potential for innovative insurance products—such as index-based and microinsurance—to protect vulnerable populations and infrastructure.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, representing MEJCON-SA and MACUA, has filed an appeal response report challenging the Environmental Authorisation (EA) granted to Tetra4 (Pty) Ltd for its Gas Gathering and Production Project in Virginia, Free State. The appellants argue that Tetra4 used a Basic Assessment Report (BAR) process to circumvent more rigorous Scoping and EIA requirements for the drilling of 18 additional wells, effectively 'project splitting' to avoid comprehensive environmental scrutiny. The report highlights critical failures in assessing climate change and geohydrology impacts, inadequate public participation—specifically the exclusion of farm workers and dwellers—and a lack of state capacity to monitor and enforce compliance in the oil and gas sector.

This policy brief examines the role of green financing in scaling renewable energy investments across Africa, using Kenya as a primary case study. It argues that while Africa has vast renewable potential, public funds are insufficient to meet the estimated $120 billion annual investment requirement through 2040. The document highlights how blended finance, risk mitigation instruments, and strategic partnerships between governments, development finance institutions, and the private sector can unlock the capital necessary for universal energy access and a low-carbon transition.

The Greencape Market Intelligence Report 2014: Waste examines the regulatory and economic landscape of the waste sector in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It details the transition from end-of-pipe to cradle-to-cradle waste management, the challenges of municipal procurement and licensing, and the development of waste-to-energy and recycling industries.

This executive summary by Friends of the Earth International argues that the financial resources to transition the Global South to 100% renewable energy by 2030 already exist, but are hindered by a lack of political will and extreme global wealth inequality.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative outlines 12 critical policy interventions designed to accelerate the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors—such as steel, cement, chemicals, shipping, trucking, and aviation—by overcoming market failures and reducing investment risks.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice argues for the implementation of a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) in South Africa to combat extreme poverty, inequality, and unemployment. It defines UBIG as a government commitment to ensure all adults receive a minimum amount of money to meet basic needs, framing it as a fundamental right under the South African constitution and international covenants.

The 2024 GreenCape report identifies significant investment opportunities in South Africa's electric vehicle (EV) sector, particularly in the local manufacturing of private passenger vehicles (estimated at R620 billion annually) and the electrification of freight, public transport, and last-mile delivery. While rising fuel prices and global supply chain diversification (the 'China Plus One Strategy') drive adoption, the transition is hindered by high upfront CAPEX, limited charging infrastructure, and energy security concerns related to loadshedding. The South African government is supporting the transition through the Electric Vehicle White Paper and a 150% investment allowance for qualifying EV and hydrogen-powered vehicle spending starting in 2026.

The report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) analyzes global coal mining employment and the necessity of a 'just transition' for workers. Using a new dataset from the Global Coal Mine Tracker, GEM estimates that nearly 2.7 million people are directly employed at operating coal mines. The report warns that hundreds of thousands of jobs are at risk due to planned mine closures by 2035 and 2050, regardless of climate policies, and that significantly more layoffs would occur if the world adheres to 1.5°C and 2°C warming scenarios.

The 2016 Waste Economy Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape analyzes the transition of South Africa's waste sector from a landfill-centric model toward a more sustainable, resource-efficient economy. It highlights significant opportunities for recycling and alternative waste treatment, particularly in the Western Cape, while detailing the regulatory shifts and financial incentives available to greentech investors.

The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy of South Africa provides written reasons for a Ministerial Determination regarding the procurement of new generation capacity. The determination aims to ensure energy security and address load shedding by procuring capacity from renewables, storage, gas, and coal, aligned with the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2019).

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the economic, institutional, environmental, and socio-cultural barriers to a just energy transition from thermal coal in Colombia, specifically focusing on the Caribbean regions of Cesar and La Guajira.

A report by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzing the internal complexities and competing interests of the expanded 10-member BRICS bloc regarding global energy governance and the energy transition.

This report analyzes the implications of the European Green Deal (EGD) for South African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and broader trade. It examines the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the Farm to Fork strategy, and the Circular Economy Action Plan, identifying significant risks in the automotive, mining, and agricultural sectors while highlighting potential export opportunities for environmental goods.

A submission by a coalition of civil society organisations—including Law for Energy Transitions Africa, Natural Justice, The Green Connection, and Project 90 by 2030—providing detailed comments on the draft South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM) Code and Rules. The submission argues that the draft framework lacks sufficient alignment with constitutional rights and climate obligations, suffers from governance conflicts of interest due to the Market Operator's link to Eskom, and lacks transparency regarding costs and contracts.

This research paper by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines how green technologies in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste management, and green construction can address youth unemployment in Africa. It identifies significant job creation potential but highlights critical barriers including financing gaps, infrastructure deficits, and policy implementation failures.

This guide, produced by PARI, IIED, and SALGA, provides a framework for South African local governments to integrate land governance into the just transition. It argues that land is a strategic public resource essential for climate resilience and social justice, rather than merely a financial asset. The document outlines how municipalities can use spatial planning, inclusive governance, and tenure protection to balance the land-intensive needs of renewable energy and climate adaptation with the need to redress historical spatial inequalities from the apartheid era.

This practice note outlines the legal proceedings in the High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Pretoria) regarding Case No. 51765/2017. The City of Cape Town is seeking a declaratory order stating that a section 34 determination under the Electricity Regulation Act is not necessary to establish a new power plant for the city. The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) is applying to be admitted as amicus curiae to address issues concerning the transition to renewable energy and the environmental impacts of coal-fired power stations.

This briefing paper by WWF South Africa examines the challenges South African municipalities face as residential rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) installations disrupt traditional electricity distribution and revenue models. It highlights the tension between the financial interests of municipalities, which rely on electricity sales to cross-subsidise low-income households, and the economic incentives for affluent homeowners to install PV systems, often without registration. The document proposes the use of strategic tariff design and a new computerised decision-making tool to help municipalities manage the technical, social, and financial complexities of the energy transition.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the challenges facing South Africa's electricity sector, specifically the gap between energy planning and grid planning. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting model, the author develops three scenarios to 2050—Current Path, Efficient Grid, and Smarter Grid—to demonstrate how integrated planning, operational flexibility, and coherent policies for small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) can improve economic growth and reduce poverty and carbon emissions.