In a petition addressed to Multilateral Development Banks, Member States of the African Union, Member States of the United Nations, and donor countries and partners of the Central African Forest Initiative, the African Climate Reality Project is calling for world leaders to save the Congo basin peatlands from oil exploration and corruption. The Congo Basin, home to the … [Read more...]
Concern over Minister Gwede Mantashe’s fixation on nuclear power
Extinction Rebellion South Africa shares the concern voiced by many people and organizations over Minister Gwede Mantashe’s unreasonable fixation on nuclear power. In May, Minister Mantashe said, when addressing the Portfolio Committee: “We are going to explore all options, when there is appetite for nuclear in the market, we will go ahead with it.” Is that a sound plan? Why … [Read more...]
South Africa continues to bankroll billions in fossil fuels
A new report released by Friends of the Earth U.S. and Oil Change International reveals South Africa provided at least ZAR 2.2 billion (USD 153 million) a year in trade and development finance for coal projects 2016 to 2018. In total, the report found G20 countries have been providing at least ZAR 1.1 trillion (USD 77 billion) a year in public finance to oil, gas, and coal … [Read more...]
Green New Deal can stimulate economic recovery and create jobs
While lockdown inadvertently helped to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, it is critically important that sustainability of the environment is at the heart of post-Covid-19 recovery efforts. This is according to the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI). “This is where the much-talked about Green New Deal (GND) becomes crucial and while it’s no panacea … [Read more...]
Civil Society calls on the African Development Bank to quit fossil fuels
Africa Day 2020: African Climate Reality Project along with 25 fellow civil society organisations, are calling on the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) to immediately put in place and publish on the AfDB website a fossil fuel finance exclusion policy that states that the Bank will not fund, provide financial services or capacity support to any coal project on the African … [Read more...]
Women encouraged to become players in the energy sector
DMWA Resources, a pan-African energy marketing & investment holding, endorses the gender equity campaign, Equal by 30, which aims to encourage women in the clean energy sector to access equal pay, equal leadership and equal opportunities. Alongside 6 partner organisations, DMWA increases the total of signatories to 144, including 118 organisations, 13 partners and 13 … [Read more...]
Fossil fuel phase-out: It’s time to say it loud and clear
Mixed signals about the future of fossil fuels are delaying climate action. The energy transition - and our planet - depends on absolute clarity, writes WWF's Jesse Fahnestock. The past weeks have seen the publication of the Global Renewables Outlook from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), as well as a variety of articles discussing how historically low oil … [Read more...]
Solar industry calls on president to remove private power generation limitations
An industry body that represents 320 member organisations in the solar PV industry has written an open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa, in which it calls on him to remove limitations to private power generation as a way of supporting efforts to kick start the economy post COVID-19. The letter, by the Chairperson of the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association Mr … [Read more...]
New fund aims to grow green businesses in SA
The Green Outcomes Fund (GOF), a first of its kind structure, incentivises local South African fund managers to increase investment in green businesses. Through a partnership officially signed on 31 January 2020 between National Treasury’s Jobs Fund and GreenCape, the R488m fund provides outcomes-based matched (concessional) funding to local investment funds to support … [Read more...]
Growing green sectional title schemes
Rising utility costs, paired with competitively priced sustainable tools to supplement municipal electricity and water use, mean that sectional title schemes are becoming a more viable marketplace for the green building sector. While each scheme has unique characteristics, their expenses are often centred around meeting similar needs, namely: electricity and water use, … [Read more...]
Large-scale home cooling initiative commences across SA
Having been awarded a $100 000 grant by the international Million Cool Roofs Challenge last year to deploy solar-reflective roof coatings, the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) is now underway rolling out this low-tech cooling solution to communities across the country. This initiative is driven by the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) with … [Read more...]
Greenpeace Africa activists demand clean air now
Last weekend, at least six Greenpeace Africa activists wearing superhero costumes leapt onto the SuperSport Park cricket field during the international T20 match between England and South Africa. Their mission was to hand the Proteas captain Quinton de Kock and his team an air pollution mask. This follows the release of a new study by Greenpeace Southeast Asia and the Center … [Read more...]
Air pollution from fossil fuels costs the world billions daily
Air pollution from burning fossil fuels – primarily coal, oil, and gas – is attributed to an estimated 4.5 million deaths each year worldwide and estimated economic losses of approximately 3.3% of global GDP, new research from Greenpeace Southeast Asia and the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) shows. The report is the first of its kind to assess the global cost … [Read more...]
