Concerns surrounding a global climate emergency have brought into sharp focus the need to mobilize increased investment flows towards clean energy. Such flows are needed to fund incremental power generating capacities that are non-polluting. Capital is already shying away from backing new coal-fired thermal power plants. These complementary imperatives and trends are … [Read more...]
Making heating and cooling energy efficient
A Day of the year has been allocated to the power of the sun thanks to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). International Day of the Sun on 03 May is meant to recognise and promote the expansion of this abundant renewable energy resource. International Day of the Sun also coincides with a major research collaboration to identify the optimal thermal technologies that … [Read more...]
UCT divests from fossil fuels
Climate activist group Fossil Free South Africa (FFSA) is “heartened” by the University of Cape Town Council’s decision, announced today, to divert the university’s investments away from climate-destroying fossil fuels. The news was announced in the minutes of the latest meeting of the UCT Council, which last met on 12 March 2022. Council noted that it had previously agreed … [Read more...]
Community-based just transition dialogues are a must
Last year, with the climate crises getting worse, Earthlife Africa Johannesburg kicked-off – in various communities in Limpopo, Gauteng, and Eastern Cape – what may be its most important campaign yet, the Just Transition Public Participation Dialogues. In a bid to ensure that communities are not left behind as the country moves toward the just transition, Earthlife Africa is … [Read more...]
Cutting ties with fossil fuels critical to SA’s future
Amidst blackouts, rampant electricity tariff hikes, and the mounting economic costs of air pollution, South Africa urgently needs to begin cutting its ties with fossil fuels and speed the transition to renewable energy to secure a better future for the country, says Alumo Energy Managing Director Rein Snoeck Henkemans. “Despite President Ramaphosa’s commitment to new energy … [Read more...]
Have your say on the South African Gas Master Plan
Please comment on the proposed Gas Master Plan by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE). Here follows an excerpt from their basecase report regarding the importance of gas in the future energy mix: "At just 2.6% of the country’s total energy mix, South Africa’s natural gas market is small, but with all its inherent benefits, it has the potential to completely … [Read more...]
Biodiversity loss driven by world’s largest dam builders
International Rivers has published a report calling attention to the need for the world’s largest dam building companies to take urgent steps to address the increasing scale and severity of their biodiversity impacts. The report, Advancing Ecological Civilization?, examined the biodiversity footprint of the world’s two largest dam-builders, PowerChina and China Three Gorges … [Read more...]
Electricity generation licences approved for Karpowership project
The Green Connection (GC) finds it totally unacceptable that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved electricity generation licences for the Karpowership project, which has been mired in controversy since it was touted as a so-called emergency solution, more than a year ago. Nersa made the announcement today (21 September). According to The Green … [Read more...]
Kenya’s post-covid recovery should prioritise people not coal
A post-covid recovery plan should prioritise people and not a polluting coal industry, this is according to Greenpeace Africa. The Kenyan budget outlining the governments’ plans for Kenya’s Post COVID recovery released in June 2021 clearly shows the government’s intentions to prioritise coal over the health and well-being of Kenyans. The budget focuses on coal exploration … [Read more...]
Fishing communities respond to Karpowership SA appeal
On 16 August 2021, the Green Connection submitted its response to the appeal – by Karpowership SA, and others – against the decision by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) to refuse environmental authorisations for the floating power plants (FPPs). Small-scale fishers from the West Coast and other stakeholders are also sending responses to … [Read more...]
Women in Lephalale tell of the harsh reality of living next to Medupi
While news of the ‘completion’ of the Medupi power station has been met with both celebration and scepticism, women in Lephalale (in Limpopo) and surrounds, however, are filled with dread of having a pollution-intensive coal-fired power station in their backyard and running at full capacity. In addition to the obvious carbon emissions, Medupi will also emit other dangerous and … [Read more...]
Citrus farmer celebrates two years of solar energy
One of South Africa’s largest citrus farms are celebrating their second solar-versary. Their 265.98 kWp roof-mounted solar plant, that is made up of 806 x 330Wp Canadian Solar Photovoltaic panels, was commissioned in June 2019 and has been harnessing the sun’s energy and converting it to electricity to power the farm ever since. Joubert en Seuns is a well-established farming … [Read more...]
Civil society welcomes decision to reject Karpowerships
Environmental justice groups and coastal communities are celebrating an unexpected victory. Civil society groups have been alleging that the EIA processes were flawed, and yesterday, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) made public its decision to refuse all three environmental authorisations applications (EA) for the gas-to-power projects proposed for … [Read more...]
