Climate Change
Climate Change
Counting the cost of carbon: Low Carbon Economy Index 2011
In South Africa, the government has outlined its ambition to hit a target of 17.8GWof renewable capacity by 2025. This would represent 9% of total generation (its current share of renewables is 0.2%). However, the extra cost of generating renewable energy is significant, with solar being five time more the current electricity retail price, and even biomas being twice the current retail price.
What's new
Going green for change
The United Nations climate summit concluded on 11 December 2011, with an agreement to launch a new process called the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action. This will aim ‘to develop a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force’ by 2015, and is expected to bind all countries to taking the highest possible mitigation action efforts from 2020. Read more
Water, food, energy and the green economy
Global warming and other factors have resulted in a strong movement towards a sustainable or ‘green’ economy across all sectors of the world economy. The United Nations Environment Programme defines a green economy as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Read more
Carbon tax
A carbon tax is an environmental tax on energy sources that emit carbon dioxide. By taxing the burning of fossil fuels in proportion to their carbon content, the primary purpose of such a tax is to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and thereby slow global warming. Read more
Smart-agri
While the agricultural sector is the most vulnerable to climate change, it is also a major cause, directly accounting for approximately 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions, or as much as 30% when considering land-use change, including deforestation caused by agricultural expansion. Read more
Low carbon economy
South Africa produces high levels of greenhouse gas emissions relative to the size of its economy, principally due to its heavy reliance on coal for electricity generation and, to a lesser extent, the manufacture of liquid fuel from coal. Read more
Local Contacts
Jayne Mammatt
Associate Director
Sunninghill
Tel: +27 (11) 797 4128
Kyle Mandy
Director
Tax and Climate Change
Sunninghill
Tel: +27 (11) 797 4977
Luther Erasmus
Senior Manager
Water and Agriculture
Sunninghill
Tel: +27 (11) 797 4106
Kasief Isaacs
Director
Renewables
Cape Town
Tel: +27 (21) 529 2741
What's new:
Going green for change
The United Nations climate summit concluded on 11 December 2011, with an agreement to launch a new process called the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action. This will aim ‘to develop a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force’ by 2015, and is expected to bind all countries to taking the highest possible mitigation action efforts from 2020. Read more
Water, food, energy and the green economy
Global warming and other factors have resulted in a strong movement towards a sustainable or ‘green’ economy across all sectors of the world economy. The United Nations Environment Programme defines a green economy as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Read more
Carbon tax
A carbon tax is an environmental tax on energy sources that emit carbon dioxide. By taxing the burning of fossil fuels in proportion to their carbon content, the primary purpose of such a tax is to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and thereby slow global warming. Read more
Smart-agri
While the agricultural sector is the most vulnerable to climate change, it is also a major cause, directly accounting for approximately 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions, or as much as 30% when considering land-use change, including deforestation caused by agricultural expansion. Read more
Low carbon economy
South Africa produces high levels of greenhouse gas emissions relative to the size of its economy, principally due to its heavy reliance on coal for electricity generation and, to a lesser extent, the manufacture of liquid fuel from coal. Read more
Climate Change
Counting the cost of carbon: Low Carbon Economy Index 2011
In South Africa, the government has outlined its ambition to hit a target of 17.8GWof renewable capacity by 2025. This would represent 9% of total generation (its current share of renewables is 0.2%). However, the extra cost of generating renewable energy is significant, with solar being five time more the current electricity retail price, and even biomas being twice the current retail price.
Local Contacts
| Jayne Mammatt Associate Director Sunninghill Tel: +27 (11) 797 4128 Kyle Mandy Director Tax and Climate Change Sunninghill Tel: +27 (11) 797 4977 | Luther Erasmus Senior Manager Water and Agriculture Sunninghill Tel: +27 (11) 797 4106 Kasief Isaacs Director Renewables Cape Town Tel: +27 (21) 529 2741 |