The Pretoria High Court has declared that the environmental approval for the planned 600MW Khanyisa coal-fired power station has expired. Khanyisa would have been built on the outskirts of Emalahleni, already plagued by toxic air pollution. The court order is effectively the final nail in the coffin for the proposed coal plant - backed by Saudi company ACWA Power - which has … [Read more...]
Joburg residents call for an end to fossil fuel investments
In anticipation of Standard Bank’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) vote today, Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and a large contingent of concerned citizens gathered outside the bank’s Head Office in Johannesburg to demand that shareholders call for an end to fossil fuel investments. The environmental justice organisation also calls on shareholders of Total SE, which has its AGM this … [Read more...]
Job creation amid transition to a lower carbon economy
A transition to a lower carbon economy is occurring rapidly around the world and is critical for South Africa. The transition is being driven both by a realisation of the urgency required to save our environment and by economic reasons and comes with both positive and negative impacts on employment. These are some of the key highlights from a report – What a ‘just … [Read more...]
Methane gas a threat to SA’s climate commitments
In the wake of government’s indication that it intends to adopt gas as a transition fuel to get to renewable energy sources, the Green Connection has released a damning, and eye-opening research report on the effects of methane gas (CH4) emissions – the second largest cause of global warming – on the environment. The report reveals that the use of gas poses a real threat to … [Read more...]
SA youth picket in Joburg for Earth Day
On Earth Day 2021, the Climate Justice Action Group (CJAG) held a picket demonstration outside Gauteng’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) to call attention to the ongoing socio-environmental injustices that continue in South Africa. CJAG is a youth-based group facilitated by driven by Earthlife Africa Johannesburg to promote awareness of climate justice … [Read more...]
Limpopo communities demand action on air pollution
This morning, in a peaceful demonstration – that started at the crack of dawn at the Medupi, Matimba and Exxaro crossing – Earthlife Africa Johannesburg joined local community activists in Lephalale in Limpopo Province, to demand that the World Bank forfeits its loan to Eskom’s Medupi coal-fired power station for failing to install pollution-abatement technologies to help ease … [Read more...]
Standard Bank tables first SA shareholder resolution on climate risk
Standard Bank’s Notice of Annual General Meeting, released on 17 April 2019, includes a resolution proposed by shareholders that would require the bank to prepare a report on its exposure to climate risk in its lending, financing and investment activities. This is the first time that a South African company has tabled a shareholder resolution on any climate-related issue. … [Read more...]
Activists scale statues to protest deaths caused by air pollution
Activists from Greenpeace Africa scaled several iconic statues across Johannesburg and Pretoria this morning to demand action on air pollution. The activists fitted the statues with emergency gas masks to pressure the National Air Quality Officer to protect citizens’ right to clean air. Famous statues of the Mother with Child at Bree Taxi Rank, Brenda Fassie in Newtown, the … [Read more...]
Review of SA power utility reveals intentional deception
“Greenpeace Africa rejects with utter contempt Eskom's effort to downplay the massive health impacts of their noncompliance with air pollution legislation. Both decision-makers and the public deserve the truth. In the interests of millions of South Africans and our constitutional right to a healthy environment, no further postponements can be given to Eskom’s highly polluting … [Read more...]
Eskom cannot be given a new licence to kill
Greenpeace Africa has submitted comments to Naledzi Environmental Consultants opposing Eskom’s application for postponements and suspensions from complying with South Africa’s Minimum Emission Standards (MES). The MES, which are relatively weak, are designed to improve air quality in the country, but this has been significantly compromised by Eskom’s almost complete reliance on … [Read more...]
Time to pull the rug out from under coal plants
With Trump at the wheel, climate change is spinning out of control - but now we can create his worst nightmare by canceling coal's insurance contracts! Trump loves the coal power plants that threaten life on earth, but coal can’t survive without insurance. Big providers are starting to dump coal thanks to public pressure - and we can make sure a HUGE company, Munich RE, is … [Read more...]
40 Catholic institutions to divest from fossil fuels
Forty Catholic institutions, including the Belgian bishops’ conference and a leading church social welfare agency in South Africa, have decided to divest from fossil fuel companies. The organizations cited the call of Pope Francis in his 2015 encyclical, “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home,” to take steps to protect the environment as well as the importance of making … [Read more...]
It’s time for Eskom to lead the way in renewable energy
Eskom’s on-going scapegoating of renewable energy as the reason behind its financial woes shows a lack of vision, particularly in the light of the urgent need to develop new jobs beyond the coal industry. Instead, the utility should be leading the country into a greener, more equitable energy future which will help South Africa both create new, cleaner jobs and meet its … [Read more...]
