The IMF’s April 2025 Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa presents a clear warning: regional growth is slowing, debt pressures are mounting, and donor assistance is declining. Yet the report outlines critical opportunities particularly in domestic revenue mobilization, structural reform, and private sector activation that can shape a more resilient …
This volume shares new data relating to Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), with emphasis on experiences in Eastern and Southern Africa. The book is a collection of research by authors from over 30 institutions, spanning the public and private sectors, with specific knowledge on agricultural development in the region discussed. The material …
By mid-2018, the SADC region had 21,760 MW of installed renewable energy capacity with another 17,361 MW of renewables capacity reaching financial closure and awaiting commissioning. The 2018 edition builds on the initial report issued by REN21 in 2015 and provides an updated review of renewable energy and energy efficiency …
This case study in the World Resources Report, “Towards a More Equal City,” examines transformative urban change in Johannesburg, South Africa, through transit-oriented development (TOD). The paper reviews the evidence on whether Johannesburg’s TOD strategy has helped reduce spatial inequality in the city—and if so, how.
SouthSouthNorth has released an independent study on the potential private sector investment priorities that support South Africa's climate change outcomes. The report confirms that private sector investment is an essential component of South Africa’s plan to address climate change, whilst simultaneously promoting national development priorities. The study considers priority investment …
The United Nations Environment Program on Tuesday issued the latest in what’s been a flurry of reports on climate change and global greenhouse gas emissions progress, ahead of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24) meeting in Poland next week. The “emissions …
Blantyre — African Parks a non-profit conservation organization has translocated nine Giraffe from South Africa to Majete Wildlife Reserve in Chikwawa. With the translocation, the population of Giraffes in the country has been increased to 30 as of now. Public Relations Coordinator for African Parks, Fran Read said the translocation …
Developing nations are now driving the world’s gradual shift towards renewable energy, and India has become one of the leaders of the pack. With increased investments and clean energy installations, as well as the world’s largest renewables auction market, India ranks 2nd after Chile in the 2018 Climatescope (pdf) report …
South Africa is one of the many governments from around the world who have committed to limiting temperature increase to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. Current efforts are simply insufficient. Aggregate mitigation targets, according to Climate Action Tracker (CAT) estimates, result …
A group of about 40 protestors from Kwathema, a township in Ekurhuleni, marched to a fertiliser manufacturing plant on Thursday to object to its use of chemicals. They believe these chemicals are not environmentally friendly and is a health hazard to the people living in the area. The Ekurhuleni Environmental …
The Department of Mineral Resources has initiated a ground stability study to be undertaken in Johannesburg to assess whether there is any long-term damage to critical infrastructure installation as a result of illegal mining activities. The study, which will is due to commence shortly, will be carried out through the …
The University of Cape Town’s Energy Research Centre (ERC) last week issued a report looking into the intensity of emissions in the power sector across the G20 countries. The fourth annual Brown to Green Report has found that South Africa has the highest intensity of emissions in the power sector, …
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni recently tabled the carbon tax bill in Parliament, giving effect to the announcements made in the 2017 and 2018 Budget statements. The carbon tax will become effective from 1 June 2019. The Government News Agency quoted Mboweni as stating that: “Climate change poses the greatest threat …
Illegal miners have brought Johannesburg, SA's biggest city, to the brink of an unprecedented disaster - and the government has shrugged off calls by city officials to step in and avert potential catastrophe. Transnet and Sasol have sounded the alarm that zama zamas are blasting to within metres of highly …
Southern Africa is expected to receive erratic rainfall in the 2018/19 agricultural season, according to the latest outlook produced by regional climate experts, who have predicted that seasonal rainfall will be "normal to below-normal" across most of the region. The consensus forecast produced by the 22nd Southern African Regional Climate …
The City of Cape Town signed a R1.3bn loan with the German government-owned KfW Development Bank for urban wastewater management, Mayor Dan Plato's office said. The unsecured loan will cost 8.107% in interest and is payable over 15 years. In a statement, the City said the interest rate was "highly …
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni introduced the Carbon Tax Bill in the National Assembly on Tuesday, marking the culmination of an eight-year process of preparation and consultation with stakeholders. The tax is due to take effect from June 1 2019, and while parliament’s finance committee expects to process the bill before …
The karst dolomite aquifers of the North West Province in South Africa are among the most important in the nation. They serve as key water sources for municipal water supply and irrigation, and are also ecologically important in supplying springs that feed important rivers. Over-abstraction and consequent falling groundwater levels …
Environmental reviews, often in the form of environmental impact or strategic environmental assessments, play a fundamental role in the process of urban development. They are institutionalized decision-making arrangements in domestic legislation to address the environmental impacts and risks associated with a project. Strengthened environmental and social reviews in urban development …
In a last-minute move, the government is attempting a new strategy to push through a coal mine in a formally protected Mpumalanga wetland area. This week, the Pretoria High Court was to have heard an application to review the government's hush-hush 2016 approval of a coal mine in the Mabola …
South Africans are likely to live, on average, seven years longer in 2040 than they do now, but the country will see only modest improvement in its global ranking as longevity increases worldwide, according to a study published in the Lancet on Wednesday . SA had an average life expectancy …
