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.

Circular Economy and Climate Change in Developing Economies

2021 ◽  
pp. 225-238
Author(s):  
James Osabuohien Odia
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Climate Change Risks ◽  
Product Lifetime ◽  
Development Goals

The CE represents a new model for resilient growth in both developed and developing economies that would help to tackle the causes and devastating effects of climate change and climate change risks, meet the 1.5 degree target of the Paris Agreement, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The CE practices can help to reduce greenhouse gases (CO2, methane, and nitro-oxide) to net zero emissions by 2050 through efficient resources use, elongation of product lifetime, recycling, recovery, reuse, materials substitution, efficient waste reduction and management, sharing service, among others. Given the numerous economic opportunities, innovation, and policy progresses, developing countries should transit to the CE pathway by aligning the CE strategies with the mitigation of climate change and the achievement of SDGs, synergize the CE practices with the existing national policies, and mainstream across sectoral strategy and policy development.

scholarly journals Climate change impact assessment as function of model inaccuracy

2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 2875-2899
Author(s):  
P. Droogers ◽  
A. van Loon ◽  
W. Immerzeel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Climate Change Impact ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Model Errors ◽  
Climate Change Impact Assessment ◽  
Scenario Model ◽  
Change Impact ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Numerical simulation models are frequently applied to assess the impact of climate change on hydrology and agriculture. A common hypothesis is that unavoidable model errors are reflected in the reference situation as well as in the climate change situation so that by comparing reference to scenario model errors will level out. For a polder in The Netherlands an innovative procedure has been introduced, referred to as the Model-Scenario-Ratio (MSR), to express model inaccuracy on climate change impact assessment. MSR values close to 1, indicating that impact assessment is mainly a function of the scenario itself rather than of the quality of the model, were found for most indicators evaluated. More extreme climate change scenarios and indicators based on threshold values showed lower MSR values, indicating that model accuracy is an important component of the climate change impact assessment. It was concluded that the MSR approach can be applied easily and will lead to more robust impact assessment analyses.

scholarly journals Climate Change and Food Insecurity Dynamics in the Rural Limpopo Province of South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1(J)) ◽  
pp. 22-32
Author(s):  
Abiodun Olusola Omotayo
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Household Heads

In the developing nations of the world, poor gross domestic product growth has shown serious vacuum to be filled in order to achieve the sustainable development goals. In that regard, this research article intends to contribute to the sustainable development goals of the United Nation’s goal by explaining the rural food insecurity in the light of climate change dynamic in some selected rural communities of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The data employed in the study were collected from 120 randomly selected rural household heads. Data were analysed with descriptive (frequency, mean etc.) and inferential statistics (Principal component Analysis (PCA), Tobit and Probit Regression) which were properly fitted (P<0.05) for the set research objectives. Descriptive results indicate that the average age of the respondents was 52 years with 60% of the household heads being married and a mean household size of 5.The study concluded that there is climate change effect and food insecurity in the study area and therefore recommended among others that the government of South Africa should endeavour to implement a more rural focused food securityclimate change policies in order to relieve the intensity of food insecurity situations among these disadvantaged rural dwellers of the province as well as to entrench a policy of long term development of agriculture. Finally, the study emphasized that the rural farming households should be enlightened through proper extension services to carry out climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in alleviating the food insecurity situation in the rural communities of the province. 

scholarly journals The Paris Agreement 5 Years Later: The Challenges of Climate Finance and Multilateral Development Banks

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 23-40
Author(s):  
Oscar Rosario Gugliotta
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Climate Finance ◽  
Multilateral Development Banks ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Development Banks ◽  
The One ◽  
The Impact

Abstract In all matters regarding climate change, the modern world presents complex challenges which highlight how investments in infrastructure have as of yet been inconclusive. The emission percentages calculated by relevant studies demonstrate the need for long-term investments in infrastructures, to ultimately reduce the impact on the environment and our health. To this end, in alignment with the principles expressed in the Paris Agreement – reducing global warming and incentivising a zero-emission transportation system – and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), these new infrastructures will require a structural change that can be guaranteed by multilateral development banks (MDBs), given their nature, especially within developing countries. MDBs play an important role in supporting local governments, on the one hand creating a prosperous environment for sustainable infrastructures and, on the other, providing innovative financial instruments that could increase the financial sector’s participation. In this paper, aft er a brief excursus on the Paris Agreement’s role in the global climatic crisis, there will be an evaluation of the relations between MDBs and climate finance, with a focus on green bonds.

Integrated and sustainable management of subsurface resources - Introducing the contributions of the four GeoERA groundwater projects to the European Geological Data Infrastructure

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Hinsby ◽  
Laurence Gourcy ◽  
Hans Peter Broers ◽  
Anker L. Højberg ◽  
Marco Bianchi
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Climate Change Impact ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Climate Change Impact Assessment ◽  
Data Infrastructure ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Change Impact

&lt;p&gt;The IPCC and IPBES reports, the sustainable development goals of the United Nations and the societal challenges for Europe defined by Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe all emphasize the strong need for integrated and sustainable management of subsurface resources to protect society and biodiversity. The four GeoERA groundwater projects contribute to this important goal by studying the current and future quantitative and chemical status of European groundwater bodies. The quantity and quality issues related to natural processes, human activities and climate change are investigated to improve our basis for informed decision making e.g. for climate change mitigation and adaptation. The four projects provide new and important data for further development of the European Geological Data Infrastructure (EGDI) as a leading information platform for sustainable and integrated management of subsurface resources in Europe and one of the leading platforms, globally. The four projects will deliver &amp;#8220;FAIR&amp;#8221; (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) data easily accessible for all relevant end users via EGDI. This will improve our understanding of the subsurface and support common efforts in public-private partnerships to meet the UN sustainable development goals and to develop efficient tools for climate change impact assessment, mitigation and adaptation. Here we briefly present some main objectives and deliverables of the four groundwater projects: &lt;strong&gt;1)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;HOVER&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;#8211; &amp;#8220;Hydrogeological processes and geological settings over Europe controlling dissolved geogenic and anthropogenic elements in groundwater of relevance to human health and the status of dependent ecosystems&amp;#8221; &amp;#8211; studies e.g. I) geogenic (natural) groundwater quality issues affecting human health, II) polluted groundwater focusing on nitrate, pesticides and emerging contaminants that besides human health potentially affect biodiversity and the ecological status of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and III) groundwater age and travel time distributions in European aquifers, which are useful for assessment of the history, migration and fate of contaminants in the subsurface and the vulnerability of the European groundwater resources towards pollution &lt;strong&gt;2)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;RESOURCE&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;#8211; &amp;#8220;Resources of groundwater, harmonized at cross-border and Pan-European Scale&amp;#8221; &amp;#8211; studies I) transboundary aquifers between Poland and Lithuania; as well as Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany; II) Karst and Chalk aquifers across Europe and III) Develops a new Pan European groundwater resources map that includes information on volumes, age and quality (salinity) &lt;strong&gt;3)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;TACTIC&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;#8211; &amp;#8220;Tools for assessment of climate change impact on groundwater and adaptation strategies&amp;#8221; &amp;#8211; compiles and studies climate change impact assessment and adaptation tools within more than 40 pilot areas distributed across Europe and &lt;strong&gt;4)&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;VoGERA&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;#8211; &amp;#160;&amp;#8220;Vulnerability of shallow groundwater resources to deep sub-surface energy-related activities&amp;#8221; &amp;#8211; studies groundwater vulnerability to energy-related activities in the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium and Hungary.&lt;/p&gt;

Climate Change: The Greatest Challenge for the Future and a Major Cross-Sectoral Area of Intervention

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-213
Author(s):  
Caroline Mair
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Millennium Development Goals ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Impact Of Climate Change ◽  
Sectoral Approach ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Rio Conference ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This article is an overview of the ways in which climate change intersects and cuts across issues dealt with by the Rio+20 Conference and threatens to reverse gains made towards the Millennium Development Goals. The objective is to examine how climate change can impact communities in a complex and multi-faceted way. It gives a brief introduction to the unfccc negotiations and the Rio Conference; and looks in particular at the impact of climate change on desertification; food security, agriculture and trade; migration; and water management in developing countries. It is a glimpse into the unceasing struggle between the delicate balance of truly sustainable development, the protection of the environment, and the ever-growing threat of climate change. The way forward in dealing with the effects of climate change must be a cross-sectoral approach, one that is integrated into the post-2015 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, and with particular emphasis on the impact of climate change on poor and vulnerable countries.

scholarly journals Climate Change and South Africa: A Critical Analysis of the Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and Another v Minister of Energy and Others 65662/16 (2017) Case and the Drive for Concrete Climate Practices

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 117862211988537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marjoné van der Bank ◽  
Jaco Karsten
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Climate Change Impact ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Environmental Law ◽  
Court Case ◽  
Healthy Environment ◽  
Change Impact ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Impact

The findings and recommendations of this article will redound to the benefit of society considering that climate change regulation plays an important role in the promotion of a sustainable environment. The greater demand for a clean and healthy environment justifies the need for more effective regulation of climate change, and this can be achieved through climate change impact assessments. In the High Court case of EarthLife Africa Johannesburg v Minister of Environmental Affairs and Others, the court considered what the impact of the Thabametsi Power Project on the global climate and the changing climate will be if it is operated to the expected year of 2060. This judgement highlights the significance, place, and principles of climate change impact assessments in South Africa’s environmental law that has its founding principles in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. The Thabametsi-case contributed to environmental litigation in the manner as to how equality and the rule of law have been addressed in the court. This paper will examine the advances for climate change regulation in a jurisdiction where the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations currently refer to climate change explicitly.

scholarly journals Quantifying the impact of model inaccuracy in climate change impact assessment studies using an agro-hydrological model

2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 669-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Droogers ◽  
A. Van Loon ◽  
W. W. Immerzeel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Climate Change Impact ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Model Errors ◽  
Climate Change Impact Assessment ◽  
Change Impact ◽  
Reference Situation ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Numerical simulation models are frequently applied to assess the impact of climate change on hydrology and agriculture. A common hypothesis is that unavoidable model errors are reflected in the reference situation as well as in the climate change situation so that by comparing reference to scenario model errors will level out. For a polder in The Netherlands an innovative procedure has been introduced, referred to as the Model-Scenario-Ratio (MSR), to express model inaccuracy on climate change impact assessment studies based on simulation models comparing a reference situation to a climate change situation. The SWAP (Soil Water Atmosphere Plant) model was used for the case study and the reference situation was compared to two climate change scenarios. MSR values close to 1, indicating that impact assessment is mainly a function of the scenario itself rather than of the quality of the model, were found for most indicators evaluated. A climate change scenario with enhanced drought conditions and indicators based on threshold values showed lower MSR values, indicating that model accuracy is an important component of the climate change impact assessment. It was concluded that the MSR approach can be applied easily and will lead to more robust impact assessment analyses.

scholarly journals The Impact and Response to Climate Change as Lived by Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 590-590
Author(s):  
Robin Fenley ◽  
Toni Antonucci ◽  
Robin Fenley
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Health And Human Rights ◽  
The Public ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Impact

Abstract A growing body of literature documents the domino effects of climate change on the planet and all life. Chief among these changes is the rise in global temperatures, triggering record numbers of heatwaves, and stronger, more dangerous hydrologic events. While climate change looms as a preeminent threat to our planet and future, the public health and human rights ramifications are already apparent. As with many issues in this realm, the effects are felt to a greater degree by our aging populations. As disasters grow in frequency, the more vulnerable populations are at greater risk for more serious outcomes – and will suffer disproportionately from the effects of climate change – resulting in greater inequalities. With the consequences of climate change growing more drastic, these outcomes can be expected to climb unless sufficient measures are enacted to combat global warming. In this symposium we will highlight the link between climate change and its impact on the human rights of older adults, and how climate change threatens progress across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) - a blueprint for a more equitable and healthier planet - if decisive actions are not taken. This symposium will demonstrate what valuable opportunities exist to accelerate progress by leveraging the links between SDGs to combat inequalities and climate change. Panelists will discuss the adverse effects of climate change, the human rights and psychological impacts on older adults, and potential action steps and strategies for older persons to become empowered as advocates for climate change reform.

scholarly journals SICA's Economic Integration in the SDG

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Carlos Alberto Cerda Gaitán
Keyword(s):  
Economic Integration ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
World Order ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Phenomenological Method ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Global Consensus ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Development Objectives ◽  
The Impact

This paper takes into consideration the current debate regarding the impact of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on economies, mainly from economic integration processes and their connection to the current world order. Economic integration in Central America has two formal development instruments (ALIDES and the Five Integration Pillars), and, today, a Prioritized Strategic Agenda is being create. Despite the existence of these instruments, it is important to evaluate their performance and level of execution, especially when the SDGs are conceived as one of the most concrete global consensus. The point is how SDGs can promote the fulfillment of the development objectives applied to Central America’s economic integration process. By means of the phenomenological research paradigm, interpretative deductions are made from three moments: the study of phenomenal structures, the analysis of the phenomenological method and, finally, from the undercover dominance.

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