South Africa

Status under International Climate Change Law

• UNFCCC: signature (15 June 1993) and ratification (29 Aug 1997)
• KP: ratification (31 July 2002)
  Quantified emission limitation or reduction commitment: NA
• Vienna Convention: accession (15 Jan 1990)
• Montreal Protocol: accession (15 Jan 1990)
• LRTAP: NA
• Energy Charter: NA
• Espoo Convention: NA

Federal Laws on Climate Change

Climate

• Regulations for the establishment of a Designated National Authority for the Clean Development Mechanism(2005) [English]
• Carbon Emissions Motor Vehicles tax (2010) [English]

Air Protection

• National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (2004) (Amended 2009) [English]
• National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (39/2004): List of activities which result in emissions which have or may have a significant detrimental effect on the environment, including health, social conditions, economic conditions, ecological conditions or cultural heritage (2010) [English]
• National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (39/2004): Atmospheric Emission License Regulations  (2010) [English]

Energy

• Electricity Regulation Act (2006) (Amended 2007) [English]
• National Energy Act (2008) [English]
• Regulations made under the Electricity Regulation Act (2009) [English]

Forests and Land Use

• National Forests Act (1998) [English]
• Integrated Coastal Management Act (2008) [English]

Environmental Impact Assessment

• Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (2010) [English]

Others

• National Environmental Management Act (1998) (Amended 2013) [English]
• Environmental Management Act Framework Regulations (2010) [English]

Local, State, and Regional Legislation and Initiatives

• Framework for Adaptation to Climate Change in the City of Cape Town (2006) [English]

Government Documents

• First National Communication to the UNFCCC (2003) [English]
• National Climate Change Response Strategy (2004) [English]
• Long Term Mitigation Scenarios: Strategic Options for South Africa (2007) [English]
• Vision, Strategic Direction and Framework for Climate Policy (2008) [English]
• Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (2010) [English]
• National Climate Change Response Policy (NCCRP) (2011) [English]
• Second National Communication to the UNFCCC (2011) [English]
• National Strategy for Sustainable Development and Action Plan (2011) [English]
• Draft Integrated Energy Planning Report (Executive Summary) (2013) [English]
• National Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity 2010-2030 (2013) [English]

Factual Matters

• United Nations Statistics Division, Environmental Statistics Snapshot (2013)

Secondary Sources

• Robyn Stein, et al., Environment: South Africa Climate change, renewables and energy (2009) [English]
• Debbie Collier & Jan Glazewski, South Africa, in CLIMATE CHANGE LIABILITY, 319-47 (Richard Lord et al. eds., Cambridge University Press 2011)

Summaries of legislation compiled from Nachmany, M., et al. 2014. “The GLOBE Climate Legislation Study: A Review of Climate Change Legislation in 66 Countries. Fourth Edition.” London: GLOBE International and the Grantham Research Institute, London School of Economics.

Updated as of: January 13, 2015