The University of the Western Cape (UWC) hosted a landmark event in Gauteng on 29 August 2024 – the first institution to engage critically with South Africa's new Climate Change Act, signed into law on 23 July 2024.
The event marked a significant moment in the country's environmental and legislative history. It featured an address by Professor Angela van der Berg, Director of the Global Environment Law Centre at UWC.
She underscored the importance of this legislation and its far-reaching implications for South Africa's future.
The engagement was moderated by UWC alumna Advocate Motlalepule Rantho and featured panellists from business and other sectors, including Maluta Netshaulu from Nedbank’s Corporate Social Investment division, and Ninky Shuenyane, alumna and founder of NPO, the Village Water Project.
The evening, which included alumni and the business community, began with a solemn reflection led by Professor Anesh Singh, UWC’s Director for Institutional Advancement, on the recent passing of former Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Brian O'Connell.
He also reminded the audience of the retirement of the current Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, while introducing the incoming Rector, Professor Robert Balfour. Prof Singh thanked Prof Pretorius for his leadership over the past ten years.
This set the tone for an evening that balanced the gravity of current challenges with the promise of future progress.
Introducing the topic, Unlock the Future: Navigating South Africa’s Climate Change Bill, Rantho said: “As we celebrated the coming into being of our new constitution, we knew that we had the Bill of Rights.
We celebrated all the rights - among those is a right to an environment that is not harmful to our well-being, and equally so, South Africa, as a signatory to the Paris Agreement on climate change, was obligated to pass a piece of legislation or to put measures in place to make sure that there is a response towards undesirable effects of climate change.”
Professor Angela van der Berg
Prof van der Berg's address highlighted the arduous journey of creating the Climate Change Act, which took more than six years to come into being.
Describing it as potentially the most significant piece of legislation since South Africa's constitution, she emphasised its comprehensive scope and the critical role it will play in shaping the nation's response to climate change.
"This Act is not just another law; it is a framework that will dictate how we, as a society, respond to one of the greatest challenges of our time," van der Berg said.
She pointed out that while South Africa is not the first African country to enact such legislation - following Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, and Mauritius - the significance of this law cannot be overstated.
She said The Climate Change Act signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa, is divided into six chapters, each focusing on different aspects of climate governance.
Prof van der Berg provided an overview of the three main areas regulated by the Act:
Shuenyane spoke about the far-reaching social impacts of the new ACT.
“We always say that in South Africa we have enough laws, acts and policies, but what’s more important is the implementation thereof. And what’s important is that the Act is actually spearheading us as a country towards climate resilience, which ensures that no one is left behind. And, as we know, the impacts of climate change basically affect all sectors of the economy, all sectors of human life, all sectors of the ecosystem, biodiversity, all life as it exists in the climate basically.”
The engagement, hosted by the Department of Institutional Advancement, with this historic piece of legislation marked a critical moment in South Africa's journey towards a sustainable future, with UWC setting the stage for a national conversation to shape the country's environmental policies for years to come.
The event marked a significant moment in the country's environmental and legislative history. It featured an address by Professor Angela van der Berg, Director of the Global Environment Law Centre at UWC.
She underscored the importance of this legislation and its far-reaching implications for South Africa's future.
The engagement was moderated by UWC alumna Advocate Motlalepule Rantho and featured panellists from business and other sectors, including Maluta Netshaulu from Nedbank’s Corporate Social Investment division, and Ninky Shuenyane, alumna and founder of NPO, the Village Water Project.
He also reminded the audience of the retirement of the current Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, while introducing the incoming Rector, Professor Robert Balfour. Prof Singh thanked Prof Pretorius for his leadership over the past ten years.
This set the tone for an evening that balanced the gravity of current challenges with the promise of future progress.
Introducing the topic, Unlock the Future: Navigating South Africa’s Climate Change Bill, Rantho said: “As we celebrated the coming into being of our new constitution, we knew that we had the Bill of Rights.
We celebrated all the rights - among those is a right to an environment that is not harmful to our well-being, and equally so, South Africa, as a signatory to the Paris Agreement on climate change, was obligated to pass a piece of legislation or to put measures in place to make sure that there is a response towards undesirable effects of climate change.”
Professor Angela van der BergDescribing it as potentially the most significant piece of legislation since South Africa's constitution, she emphasised its comprehensive scope and the critical role it will play in shaping the nation's response to climate change.
"This Act is not just another law; it is a framework that will dictate how we, as a society, respond to one of the greatest challenges of our time," van der Berg said.
She pointed out that while South Africa is not the first African country to enact such legislation - following Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, and Mauritius - the significance of this law cannot be overstated.
She said The Climate Change Act signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa, is divided into six chapters, each focusing on different aspects of climate governance.
Prof van der Berg provided an overview of the three main areas regulated by the Act:
- Alignment of Existing Policies: The Act requires all levels of government - local, provincial, and national - to review and align their existing laws and policies with the new climate framework. This is expected to lead to numerous legislative amendments across various sectors.
- Adaptation Strategies: Recognising the unavoidable impacts of climate change, the Act mandates the development of national and sectoral adaptation strategies. These strategies are to be based on risk assessments that identify South Africa's vulnerable areas and outline necessary adaptations for different sectors, including agriculture, energy and urban development.
- Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions: Perhaps the most critical aspect of the Act is its focus on mitigating change through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The government is required to establish a national emissions trajectory, followed by sector-specific emission targets within a year. This will involve stringent regulations on industries, with potential penalties for non-compliance.
Shuenyane spoke about the far-reaching social impacts of the new ACT.
“We always say that in South Africa we have enough laws, acts and policies, but what’s more important is the implementation thereof. And what’s important is that the Act is actually spearheading us as a country towards climate resilience, which ensures that no one is left behind. And, as we know, the impacts of climate change basically affect all sectors of the economy, all sectors of human life, all sectors of the ecosystem, biodiversity, all life as it exists in the climate basically.”
The engagement, hosted by the Department of Institutional Advancement, with this historic piece of legislation marked a critical moment in South Africa's journey towards a sustainable future, with UWC setting the stage for a national conversation to shape the country's environmental policies for years to come.
10 Things to Know About The Climate Change Act
1. First Framework Legislation: The Climate Change Act is the first comprehensive law in South Africa designed to regulate climate change across all sectors of society.
2. Alignment of Policies: The Act requires all government levels to align their existing laws and policies with the new climate framework.
3. Adaptation Strategies: The Act mandates the development of national and sector-specific adaptation strategies based on climate risk assessments.
4. Emission Reductions: A key focus of the Act is on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through national and sectoral targets.
5. Protection of Vulnerable Groups: The Act emphasises protecting vulnerable populations, including women, children, the elderly, and those living in poverty.
6. Public Participation: The Act ensures clear mandates for public participation in environmental decision-making processes.
7. Just Transition: The Act underlines the importance of a just transition to a greener future, ensuring that no one is left behind.
8. Weak Enforcement Mechanisms: The Act has been criticised for its lack of strong enforcement mechanisms and clear penalties for non-compliance.
9. Corporate Responsibility: The Act places significant responsibility on corporations to reduce emissions, with potential litigation risks for non-compliance.
10. Focus on Future Generations: The Act aims to preserve the environment for present and future generations, with a long-term focus on climate system protection.
1. First Framework Legislation: The Climate Change Act is the first comprehensive law in South Africa designed to regulate climate change across all sectors of society.
2. Alignment of Policies: The Act requires all government levels to align their existing laws and policies with the new climate framework.
3. Adaptation Strategies: The Act mandates the development of national and sector-specific adaptation strategies based on climate risk assessments.
4. Emission Reductions: A key focus of the Act is on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through national and sectoral targets.
5. Protection of Vulnerable Groups: The Act emphasises protecting vulnerable populations, including women, children, the elderly, and those living in poverty.
6. Public Participation: The Act ensures clear mandates for public participation in environmental decision-making processes.
7. Just Transition: The Act underlines the importance of a just transition to a greener future, ensuring that no one is left behind.
8. Weak Enforcement Mechanisms: The Act has been criticised for its lack of strong enforcement mechanisms and clear penalties for non-compliance.
9. Corporate Responsibility: The Act places significant responsibility on corporations to reduce emissions, with potential litigation risks for non-compliance.
10. Focus on Future Generations: The Act aims to preserve the environment for present and future generations, with a long-term focus on climate system protection.
