South Africa passed the Climate Change Bill, yesterday 25 April 2024 which stands to guide the country's climate response duly. As a signatory to the Paris Agreement, South Africa has committed to limit its carbon emissions by 2030. The bill formalizes the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) into law. Still, it must be considered by President Cyril Ramaphosa before being signed into law, thus making it a local obligation to adhere to the greenhouse gas emissions reduction path. According to a statement, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) welcomed the bill's adoption, highlighting the impact of climate change on workers, communities, and the economy. The bill establishes sectoral targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the energy, agriculture, and transport sectors. Carbon budgets will also apply to individual companies, limiting their emissions to the global warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius. To advance a low-carbon economy and a society that is resilient to climate change, the bill created the Presidential Climate Commission. Its implementation will call for government support.

Journalist: Tasha-Ree Kella
Email: tashakella13@gmail.com