UN climate chief Simon Stiell said on Wednesday that COP28 delegates are not in Dubai to “score points” and play at “lowest-denominator politics”; they must take ambitious action on curbing global warming and ending the climate crisis. Mr. Stiell’s strong message to government negotiators comes as the latest UN climate conference, running in the UAE’s main city, Dubai, since … [Read more...]
Steering Africa towards a sustainable future
Happening from 21 - 23 February 2024 in Cape Town, Africa’s Green Economy Summit is a groundbreaking event that connects people and organizations, fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration and steering the continent towards a sustainable future. This summit is a platform that unites the global investor community, project owners, and business executives, all under one … [Read more...]
Greenpeace activists protest climate threat in Australia
Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists scaled a 140 metre crane next door to Woodside’s headquarters in Perth, Western Australia’s capital city yesterday, dropping a 25-metre banner reading “STOP WOODSIDE,” calling out the fossil fuel giant as Australia’s greatest climate threat. The three Greenpeace Australia Pacific climbers began the ascent in the early hours of the … [Read more...]
Africa’s crucial moment as COP28 kicks off
The Conference of Parties to the United Nation Framework on Climate Change (COP28) kicks off today in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The conference takes place in what is already known to be the hottest year ever recorded in human history and as the impacts of the climate crisis wreak unprecedented havoc on human life and livelihoods around the world. This year’s COP marks … [Read more...]
Richard’s Bay Karpowership environmental authorisation taken on appeal
Environmental and social justice organisations groundWork (gW) and the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) have submitted an appeal against the environmental authorization (EA) granted to the project in October 2023. The appeal is directed to Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Barbara … [Read more...]
Environmental Impact Assessment guide launched
All Rise are excited to share that, together with the South African affiliate of IAIA, IAIAsa, they have launched a bilingual Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Guide in English and isiZulu. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a study that predicts and assesses the impacts that a development is likely to have on the environment and on people, their health and … [Read more...]
Solar charging stations under construction in North West
Today, at a ceremony in Wolmaransstad in the North West province, Zero Carbon Charge broke ground on its first 100% renewable energy charging station in what will become South Africa’s first national network of 120 solar-powered charging facilities spaced out at 150km intervals. This is a significant milestone in South Africa’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs). Unlike … [Read more...]
SA doesn’t need expensive nuclear power
The Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) says the mini pebble-bed modular reactors (PBMR) have been under development and not come into operation for decades. The previous PBMR programme was abandoned in 2010 due to ballooning costs of around R10bn. The multi-faith organisation says that independent policy analysts and finance institutions agree … [Read more...]
Civil society remains resolved to oppose offshore oil and gas
In response to the Draft Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (DESIA) for TEEPSA’s proposed offshore production right and environmental authorisation applications for Block 11B/12B (22 September 2023), the organisations point out that, since certain aspects of the project has been excluded, not all the potential negative impacts have been accounted for or considered in … [Read more...]
Powering up climate solutions with renewables
South African eco-justice activists joined the global movement Power Up for Climate Solutions to kick off a month (from 3 November to 9 December) of environmental and climate action in the lead up to COP28 outside Parliament on Friday. The Green Connection, African Climate Alliance, Extinction Rebellion, 350.org, and Project 90 by 2030 joined others around the world in a … [Read more...]
Fishers disappointed with DWOB oil and gas approval
The Green Connection and affected small-scale fishers say they are disappointed (but not surprised) with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s (DMRE) approval of TotalEnergies’ Deep Western Orange Basin (DWOB) Oil and Gas drilling application on the West Coast. The Green Connection says it will appeal the decision. The Green Connection’s Community Outreach … [Read more...]
Government secrecy over coal plant decommissioning report
Civil society is concerned about National Treasury’s delay in releasing crucial information relevant to the future of coal-fired power plants in South Africa. Treasury announced in February this year that it had commissioned an independent review of Eskom’s 14 coal-fired power plants and that the review would be concluded by mid-2023. However, it has still not released … [Read more...]
Powering a safer future with renewable energy
Energy is at the heart of the climate challenge – and key to the solution. A large chunk of the greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap the sun’s heat are generated through energy production, by burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and heat. Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, are by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting … [Read more...]
