SA’s greenhouse gas emissions increased 10% in the 17 years since 2000, according to the latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report, which was published by the department of environment, forestry and fisheries this week.
The report is part of SA’s obligations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and has been compiled on a regular basis since 2000. The latest report provides data for 2017.
The lag in the data is not unusual, say experts, as it is a lengthy and difficult process to compile. However, under the Paris Agreement, SA must reduce the lag to three years by 2024.
Emissions in three of the four sectors that are reported on have been on an increasing trend since 2000. These are energy, which in 2017 was responsible for 78% of all emissions; industrial processes, responsible for 7%; and waste, responsible for 3%. Emissions from agriculture, forestry and land use (12%) of emissions declined over the period. This was due to an increasing land sink — such as forests — which absorb greenhouse gases.
In the energy sector, which shows an overall increasing trend over the period, energy industries were the main contributor, accounting for 60.7% of emissions. This was followed by transport (13.3%), other sectors (9.3%) and manufacturing industries and construction (7.0%).
Although the waste sector is a relatively small part of overall emissions it has shown the biggest increase — 56.7% — over the 17 years. This is mainly from landfill sites, which emit methane, a gas more dangerous than CO2.
Commenting on the report, environment, forestry and fisheries minister Barbara Creecy said that the inventory was “vital in supporting implementation of SA’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), to be tabled ahead of the international climate talks in November”.
“It is also important in terms of supporting national imperatives, such as the implementation of the carbon tax, determining carbon budgets and other climate mitigation instruments so we can achieve the country’s developmental and sustainable development goals,” Creecy said.
The NDCs are self-determined carbon reduction targets formulated by countries as a commitment to combating climate change.
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