On Monday (14 January), the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) – along with faith and community leaders, and other partners – will present its arguments to the National Energy Regulator (NERSA), opposing Eskom’s proposed tariff increases. Eskom is requesting an electricity price hike of 15% for 2019, with a projected overall increase of 45% to … [Read more...]
Why Eskom should cancel its 60% tariff increase application
As Nersa prepares for public hearings on Eskom’s 45% Multi-Year tariff increase request (on top of an already approved 12% increase), Energy Expert Ted Blom has called on Eskom to scrap its application as the still captured and corrupt utility should not be granted any increases until a full forensic audit has been completed. “As we now enter 2019, Eskom is rudderless,” says … [Read more...]
School receives solar power unit thanks to Khayelitsha ‘eco warriors’
A high school in Salt River, Cape Town has received a new solar power unit, thanks to environmental justice warriors from Khayelitsha. The 3.96kWp solar system will save the school around R 8 200.00 on its annual electricity bill. It will also help the school cut back 5 tons on its yearly carbon emissions. The school was awarded a Wessa Eco-Schools flag in 2017. The project … [Read more...]
SA parliament finds “no persuasive arguments against nuclear”
Yesterday, the Portfolio Committee on Energy (PCE) delivered its report on the Department of Energy’s (DoE) Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), to Parliament. According to the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI), Parliament has once again failed to act in the people’s best interest, stating that it found “no persuasive arguments against … [Read more...]
Shock judgement in KwaZulu-Natal coal mining case
The incomprehensible judgement handed down by the Pietermaritzburg High Court yesterday morning dismissed with costs the application by Sabelo Dladla, the Global Environmental Trust (GET) and Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation (MCEJO). This will not go unchallenged. In essence, the applicants approached the High Court when their attorney found the mine had … [Read more...]
Proposed offshore KZN oil drilling strongly opposed
These are many of the reasons ONO objects to how the EIA process has been handled for the Sasol / ENI proposed exploration for 2019 off the KZN coastline. This letter serves to lodge an objection to the proposed exploration for the reasons listed below. It also serves to highlight numerous contentious issues with this DEIAR process. Our primary concern is that there is clear … [Read more...]
Coalition calls on AfDB to commit to 100% renewable future
In a bid to have Africa commit to 100% renewable energy and to increase transparency in the continent’s energy sector, Zero – a coalition campaign between climate change volunteers and Non-Profit Organisations (NGOs) around the continent – was launched yesterday on the side-lines of the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Africa Investment Forum in Johannesburg, South … [Read more...]
Court victory for South Africa’s protected areas in Mabola case
Today, the North Gauteng High Court set aside the 2016 decisions of former Mineral Resources Minister Zwane and the late Environmental Affairs Minister Molewa to permit a new coal mine to be developed in the Mabola Protected Environment near Wakkerstroom, Mpumalanga. The case was brought by the coalition of eight civil society organisations challenging a range of … [Read more...]
Working together to prevent raptor electrocution
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) recently helped to make history in Australia when Constant Hoogstad, Senior Manager: Industry Partnerships, travelled to Tasmania to facilitate the formalisation of a partnership between Raptor Refuge, a local raptor rehabilitation centre, and Tasmania’s electricity company, TasNetworks. The Eskom/EWT strategic partnership is an example of … [Read more...]
World’s largest air pollution hotspot is Mpumalanga
A groundbreaking analysis of satellite data from 1 June to 31 August this year reveals the world’s largest NO2 air pollution hotspots across six continents in the most detail to date. Greenpeace analysis of the data points to coal and transport as the two principle sources of air pollution, with Mpumalanga in South Africa topping the chart as the world’s largest NO2 hotspot … [Read more...]
Busting the “clean coal” myth: why coal can only ever be dirty
“Clean coal” is promoted as the lifeline that will allow governments to continue to depend on coal for energy generation. But there is no such thing as “clean coal”. South Africa is the biggest coal producer in Africa. Over the past 10 years alone, we have produced an average of 254 million tons of coal per year. 70 million tons of the coal we produce is exported, and the … [Read more...]
Unpacking the social and financial costs of SA’s energy plan
As the country braces itself for the National Treasury’s Medium-Term Budget, the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) joins other NGOs, faith leaders and citizens from around the country to present its comments on the draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2018 proposed by the Department of Energy (DOE). In recent years, the IRP has been at the … [Read more...]
African youth develops cooling technology for heating cities
Young people around the world are encouraged to think about the challenges facing the world’s cities and to draw upon their imagination and innovative ideas to create real, practical solutions that global cities can implement. Sian Cohen, business development manager and key account specialist of the Green Building Council South Africa, is to mentor the African winner and … [Read more...]
