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(File photo by Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Images)

Critical minerals strategy crucial for clean energy

South Africa’s strategy for these minerals can support low-carbon economies, essential in tackling the climate crisis that worsens the vulnerability of people and the environment

The main sectors on the CBAM list include iron, steel, cement, fertiliser, aluminium, electricity and hydrogen

EU, UK tax on imports will be a blow for African countries

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism stands to negatively affect the continent

Burning briquettes: Brenda Sibanda, a firewood and charcoal vendor, is one of many local residents who supply to households across Bulawayo. Photo: Nqobile Tshili
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The dark light: Zimbabwe’s energy nightmare

Power shortages across the country are fuelling deforestation through the illegal charcoal trade

Forests are cleared to make space for housing, industries, businesses and for agriculture. (Photo by ADITYA AJI/AFP via Getty Images)

Unpacking deforestation, forest loss and carbon sinks

What does deforestation look like in South Africa

Ambition: A wind farm in Egypt. The country wants 42% of its energy to be from renewable resources by 2035. Photo: Khaled Desouki/AFP

The COP of no return: Climate change conference in Egypt gives hope

The world must use the United Nations Climate Change Conference to inspire an approach to mitigation and adaptation that is based on trust, justice and equity

A quarter of Africa’s GDP is dependent on nature and it must be managed responsibly.

A quarter of Africa’s GDP is dependent on nature; it must be managed responsibly

Between 1970 and 2016, the stock of natural capital on the continent fell on average by 65%, driven largely by land-use change, but Africa can lead the world by putting nature at…

The World Bank has said that it’s in South Afica’s best interest to move from coal to renewables. (Photographer: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Energy subsidies tripled since 2017, hitting R172-billion in 2020

The social costs of fossil fuel combustion are about R550-billion a year, according to a new report

El Niño is expected to cause a loss of rainfall

Adaptation should be central to climate crisis talks. Here’s why

Calls intensify to focus on helping high-risk communities adjust to climate change

Benefits: The Wagendrift Dam on the Bushmans River, a tributary of the Thukela River. Rehabilitating the Thukela River catchment in KwaZulu-Natal would reduce soil erosion, improve the grasslands and water supply, all of which improves people’s lives. (Heinrich van den Berg/Gallo Africa)

It pays to save the Thukela River catchment

For each rand spent on rehabilitating the river system, the return is at least R1.70 if not more

Pressures: Standard Bank Group chief executive Sim Tshabalala believes environmental and social governance concerns regarding projects are a priority.  (Freddy Mavunda/Gallo Images/Business Day)

Standard Bank ‘risks its reputation over East African oil pipeline

Standard Bank says it has insisted on good environmental assessments, resettlement plans and fair compensation

Gledhow Sugar Mill has become the latest sugar mill to enter into voluntary business rescue, piling pressure on the industry after a similar move by Tongaat Hulett in October.
 (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Regenerative farming is vital to ensure food security

World Environment Day encourages businesses, farmers and manufacturers to develop greener models — for people to consider how they consume

Poor score: Emissions rise from the Kriel power station. It’s South Africa’s support of coal-fired electricity that gives the country a bad climate change name. (Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
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Sona 2021: Ramaphosa accords the climate crisis only a cursory nod

Country can’t lose sight of the threat climate change poses, President Ramaphosa says.

Richard Calland: Biden needs a senate win to limit Trumpism

Joe Biden doesn’t have the mojo needed to restore the US – so he needs a full house to appoint those who do, writes Richard Calland.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Musina Makhado Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is touted by the government to be the new “regional economic epicentre” much like other mega-projects in the Global South.

Muddying the waters in the Musina Makhado economic zone

The public participation process on the environmental impact assessment for the area’s special economic zone has been shambolic

About 422 000 local jobs are tied to exports to economies with active or incoming carbon border adjustment mechanisms (Oupa Nkosi)

The carbon tax: why it could work

The Act has the potential to mitigate environmental damage and boost South Africa’s standing globally

Jon Duncan

Carbon tax in South Africa – No longer just hot air

Symbolically, the carbon tax is an important step for the SA economy, to decouple growth from carbon intensity

The Carbon Tax Act, which aims to penalise large emitters of greenhouse gasses, has recently come into effect in South Africa. (Photos: AFP)

SA’s carbon tax: Feeling the impact months later

Government is implementing the tax in a staggered approach due to concerns of job losses

The research found that, on April 7, daily global carbon emissions dropped 17%. This is the day when the most countries and the most number of people were under some sort of a lockdown.  (Reuters)

Ecological land grab: food vs fuel vs forests

A world of narrowing options threatens to pit biofuels, forests and food production against each other