Climate Change and the Green Transition in South Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 322-346
Author(s):  
Channing Arndt ◽  
Sherwin Gabriel ◽  
Faaiqa Hartley ◽  
Kenneth Marc Strzepek ◽  
Timothy S. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
National Development ◽  
Policy Formation ◽  
Climate Variables ◽  
Adaptation Policy ◽  
To Come ◽  
Projected Changes ◽  
Development Objectives

Abstract: Climate change is one of the most complex challenges facing South Africa as the country designs plans and policies for future economic growth and development. Higher temperatures and more variable rainfall are already affecting the economy and are expected to continue for decades. The degree to which climate change affects different regions in South Africa is likely to vary significantly, characterized by wide ranges in the direction and magnitude of change in key climate variables, especially precipitation. These uncertainties interact with South Africa’s growth and development challenges and complicate planning and policy formation in support national development objectives. This chapter presents key research on changes in climate experienced in South Africa in recent years, along with projected changes in years to come. It illustrates the uncertainties related to climate change and the key channels through which climate change affects the economy. The economic and developmental impacts of such changes are presented along with the lessons for adaptation policy. As energy will be a key focus area for mitigation efforts in the country, this chapter also outlines the implications of such a transition and the factors that need to be accounted for in limiting the impacts on vulnerable populations.

scholarly journals Transport Modes and the Green Economy

2021 ◽  
pp. 21-36
Author(s):  
Nthaduleni Sam Nethengwe
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Energy Security ◽  
National Development ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Green Economy ◽  
Poverty And Inequality ◽  
Transport Modes ◽  
Near Future

AbstractThis chapter provides empirical evidence regarding the various transport modes and the green economy in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Issues pertaining to green transport, strategies for implementation and any challenges associated with the transition towards green transport are grounded on empirical research conducted in the province. In South Africa, transitioning to a green economy is envisioned as a vital means to respond to critical development challenges that the country is facing and will continue to face in the near future. Many of these challenges are intertwined and they range from high levels of unemployment, poverty and inequality, to energy, security and climate change. The transition to a greener economy is articulated in the national development policy through a series of frameworks, strategies, policies and Acts which all enshrine sustainability or the notion of making the South African economy greener (Department of Environment Affairs (2016) . However, the implementation of green transport in general and particularly in the Limpopo province, is still in the infancy stage.

scholarly journals Climate change impacts on mean wind speeds in South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
L Herbst ◽  
H Rautenbach
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Different Seasons ◽  
Mean Wind Speed ◽  
Projected Changes ◽  
Atmospheric Heat

Climate change could potentially affect a number of variables that impact the dispersal of and human exposure to air pollutants, as well as climate dependent sectors such as wind energy. This study attempted to quantify the projected changes in seasonal daily mean wind speeds for South Africa around the mid-21st century (2051-2075) under two different atmospheric heat pathways. Seasonal daily mean wind speed increases rarely reach 6% and decreases occur to a maximum of 3% and are variable between different seasons and areas within the country. In all seasons except December-January-February, wind speeds are projected to increase in the Highveld region, suggesting that air pollution dispersing conditions could increase. Wind direction at the 850hPa-level show minor changes, except over the Western and Eastern Cape provinces.

scholarly journals The adaptive capacity of smallholder mixed-farming systems to the impact of climate change: The case of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nonhlanzeko N. Mthembu ◽  
Elliot M. Zwane
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Adaptive Capacity ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
National Development ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Mixed Farming ◽  
Drought Relief ◽  
The Impact

Climate change poses a serious threat to efforts by developing countries to ensure food security and poverty reduction. The National Development goals of South Africa envisage the agricultural sector as a key driver for job creation and economic growth. This article seeks to investigate the adaptive capacity of the Ncunjane farming community in Msinga, KwaZuluNatal in response to drought spells of 2010 and 2014. This article draws on data collected using both qualitative and quantitative methods in 2011 and later in 2015 with the data analysed through the Statistical Package for Social Science to determine significant correlations between variables. Analysis of the vulnerability and adaptive capacity is performed using conceptual framework. This study found that both smallholder farmers who engaged in livestock and crop production have experienced high cattle mortalities and stagnant crop productivity, which in turn put pressure on already constrained disposable household income because of increased food costs and agricultural input costs, particularly supplementary animal feed. Cattle owners were more vulnerable to drought because of poor risk management and thus became highly dependent on government to provide drought relief. Application for government drought relief was found not to be effective in cases of large herds of cattle. Variability of rainfall and prolonged heat spells has a significant impact on the sustainability of smallholder mixed-farming systems, leaving agriculture as a highly questionable form of livelihood for rural farming communities such as Msinga. The article recommends strengthened institutional mechanisms so that stakeholders should play a more meaningful role within provincial and local agriculture in leveraging government support but places emphasis on the adoption of innovative strategies that can potentially yield significantly resilient smallholder mixed-farming systems in the wake of climate variability.

scholarly journals MAIZE YIELD SENSITIVITY TO CLIMATE VARIABILITY IN SOUTH AFRICA: APPLICATION OF THE ARDL-ECM APPROAC

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rangarirai Roy Shoko ◽  
Abenet Belete ◽  
Petronella Chaminuka
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Time Series Data ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Climate Variables ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Distributed Lag

Climate affects crop production decisions and outcomes in agriculture. From very short-term decisions about which crops to grow, when to plant or harvest a field, to longer-term decisions about farm investments, climate can positively or negatively affect agricultural systems. Although the general effects of climate change on agriculture are broadly understood, there are limited studies that model the relationship between specific crops and climate variables. The study uses the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to analyze the sensitivity of maize yield to climate variables, fertilizer use and other non-climate variables. This paper uses annual time-series data of 47 observations spanning from 1970 to 2016. The results reveal that rainfall and temperature are important maize yield drivers in South Africa. However, if excessive, they will produce negative effects. The findings of this analysis are relevant for designing long-term interventions to mitigate the effects of climate change on maize production.

scholarly journals Disaster Displacement and Its Linkage to Climate Change Litigation in Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Klaaren
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
National Development ◽  
Pan African ◽  
Legal Responses ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Climate Change Governance

It has been observed that the scholarship on African responses to climate change law lags behind the reality. This are however some recent efforts to address this gap in the literature. Some recent work has carefully sketched the national development of framework laws in Kenya and Uganda and, taking a pan-African albeit Anglophone perspective, has also addressed the ways in which such national laws might work with and influence each other. This gap is replicated in another corner of climate change scholarship, the literature on climate change litigation. This is unfortunate since action by civil society through national judiciaries often has real impact. For instance, the impact of the provisions in Kenya’s climate change legislation were significantly strengthened by the purposive interpretation given those provisions in Kenya’s most celebrated instance of climate change litigation, the Save Lamu matter. And courts are recognized to play a role in multi-level climate change governance, in part by providing a platform for transnational climate change litigation. Concerned to address these gaps, this article explores the material and conceptual linkages between disaster displacement and climate change with particular attention to litigation and to legal support structures. This article assumes a certain degree of familiarity with climate change litigation and its literature. It proceeds to explore and present a specific cross-cutting perspective, for which there is only modest treatment in the existing literature. This is the linkage of disaster displacement litigation (and legal responses) to climate change litigation. The article outlines and briefly examines a short but intense period of litigation regarding a disaster-induced displacement in South Africa which has not been widely discussed or attended to anywhere in the scholarly literature. Beyond demonstrating the gap between local institutional preparedness and the evident level of risk from disasters at all scales including those associated with climate change, the case study investigated here shows the importance of thinking about the local with the global, particularly with respect to the linkage between displacement and climate change.

scholarly journals Climate Change Interventions in South Africa: The Significance of Earthlife Africa Johannesburg v Minister of Environmental Affairs (Thabametsi case) [2017] JOL 37526 (GP)

Obiter ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ademola O Jegede ◽  
Azwihangwisi W Makulana
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Climate Change Impact Assessment ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
First Case ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Change Impact ◽  
Development Objectives ◽  
The Impact

South Africa is exposed to climate vulnerabilities owing to its socio-economic and environmental situations. It is, therefore, not a surprise that it is a signatory to: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change the Kyoto Protocol ; and the 2015 Paris Agreement, and has endorsed the Sustainable Development Goals, and thereby committed to contribute to the global effort to reduce and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.Both the Paris Agreement in its article 3 and SDG No. 13, respectively, require every nation to undertake effort with a view to addressing climate change. The application of the above instruments for the purpose of addressing climate change is important but, in reality, states hardly divert their attention to climate change while pursuing economic development objectives. Whether and to what extent a court can compel government and its agents in South Africa to take the impact of climate change into consideration in its developmental pursuit is the main subject matter of Earthlife Africa Johannesburg v Minister of Environmental Affairs (Thabametsi) ((2017) JOL 37526 (GP)). Although a High Court decision, Thabametsi is the first case of its kind to engage with climate-change impact assessment in South Africa.

scholarly journals Climate Change: Towards Compensating Africa for Economic Growth and Development by Industrialized Countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 15-20
Author(s):  
Monaheng Mahlatsi
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
World Economy ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Agricultural System ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Adaptation Policy ◽  
Economic Growth And Development ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation Policy

On one hand, anthropogenic climate change is real and affecting the world economy in general and Africa in particular. On the other hand, the policy of climate change adaptation as the solution to the problem of climate change is seriously unsuccessful in Africa. Even though climate change is affecting the whole world, Africa is the most vulnerable continent that is economically affected. This is due to a variety of interconnected consequences of climate change such as droughts, floods, desertification, diseases and poor agricultural system including other unknown factors. This article focuses on challenges facing the implementation of climate change adaptation policy in Africa. The implementation of the policy of mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions will not be discussed. The aim of the article is to investigate the underlying implications of climate change adaptation policy that hamper smooth growth and development of the African economy. To achieve this aim, the theoretical research method will be utilized. This article concludes that Africa cannot afford to adapt to climate change because of its extreme poverty and will remain economically poor and suffer the consequences of climate change if industrialized countries are reluctant to compensate it. Therefore, the article argues that industrialized countries have a moral duty to compensate Africa for the harm they have caused through industrialization. The compensation will boost the African economy that is necessary for climate change adaptation. 

The World Economic Forum Principles on "Climate Governance on Corporate Boards": can soft law help to face climate change around the world?

2020 ◽  
pp. 37-55
Author(s):  
Sabrina Bruno
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Boards Of Directors ◽  
Soft Law ◽  
Corporate Boards ◽  
World Economic Forum ◽  
Financial Factor ◽  
The World ◽  
World Economic

Climate change is a financial factor that carries with it risks and opportunities for companies. To support boards of directors of companies belonging to all jurisdictions, the World Economic Forum issued in January 2019 eight Principlescontaining both theoretical and practical provisions on: climate accountability, competence, governance, management, disclosure and dialogue. The paper analyses each Principle to understand scope and managerial consequences for boards and to evaluate whether the legal distinctions, among the various jurisdictions, may undermine the application of the Principles or, by contrast, despite the differences the Principles may be a useful and effective guidance to drive boards' of directors' conduct around the world in handling climate change challenges. Five jurisdictions are taken into consideration for this comparative analysis: Europe (and UK), US, Australia, South Africa and Canada. The conclusion is that the WEF Principles, as soft law, is the best possible instrument to address boards of directors of worldwide companies, harmonise their conduct and effectively help facing such global emergency.

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