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South Africa: Court Rules That Clean Air Is a Constitutional Right - What Needs to Change
The Conversation Africa, 23 March 2022
A court in South Africa has confirmed the constitutional right of the country's citizens to an environment that isn't harmful to their health. This includes the right to clean air,… Read more »
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South Africa: Major Court Victory for Communities Fighting Air Pollution in Mpumalanga Highveld
groundWork, 18 March 2022
Today environmental justice groups celebrate a landmark judgment in the #DeadlyAir case as a victory for environmental justice in South Africa with far-reaching consequences. In… Read more »
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South Africa: Western Cape Adopts New Air Quality Management Plan
Govt of SA, 10 March 2022
Western Cape adopts new Air Quality Management Plan and invests R10million in its Air Quality Monitoring Network. Read more »
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South Africa: Govt Proposes Public Consultations On Minimum Emission Standards
SAnews.gov.za, 14 March 2022
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister, Barbara Creecy, has proposed a public consultation process that will hear all inputs into the various appeals related to air… Read more »
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South Africa: Eskom Emits More Sulphur Dioxide Than Any Power Company in the World - Latest Research
Daily Maverick, 5 October 2021
A report says that while power stations in other countries have taken action to reduce emissions, Eskom has not -- and now emits more sulphur dioxide than the entire power sector… Read more »
Clean Air is a Constitutional Right, South African Court Rules
The Pretoria High Court has, in a landmark judgment, ruled that air pollution is a violation of Constitutional rights. Environmental justice groups have welcomed the decision, hailing it as a victory for environmental justice in South Africa with far-reaching consequences.
In her judgment, Judge Collis found for the applicants - environmental NGOs groundWork and Vukani - and ordered government to pass regulations to implement and enforce the Highveld Priority Area Air Quality Management Plan, which is aimed at cleaning up the air on the Highveld to meet health-based air quality standards.
"I am so happy that we have succeeded with this court case," says Promise Mabilo, Vukani Coordinator. "This is not only a victory for the applicants and affected communities living in the Highveld Priority Area, but it is also a victory for the affected communities fighting for their right to clean air in South Africa's other priority areas - the Vaal and the Waterberg."
The nation's history of pollution reached a watershed moment in 2019 when the area around Kriel in Mpumalanga was recorded as the world's second-biggest producer of sulphur dioxide emissions in a study commissioned by Greenpeace India. According to data from NASA satellites, the area's high levels of pollution were a direct result of a concentration of coal power plants there.
InFocus
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Heavy industries and Eskom power stations on the Highveld play a vital role in sustaining South Africa's economy, but this cannot be used to justify the excessive levels of air ... Read more »
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A new report predicts South Africa's hydrogen economy could add between U.S.$3.9 billion and U.S.$8.8 billion to the country's GDP by 2050. Not to mention thousands of jobs, w Read more »
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The area around Kriel in Mpumalanga is now the world's second-biggest sulphur dioxide emissions hotspot, a study commissioned by Greenpeace India has found. According to data from ... Read more »
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Growth in the technology industry is "critical" in achieving a low carbon economy, says Ericsson vice president for sub-Saharan Africa. Read more »
Mpumalanga is home to a cluster of twelve coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of over 32 gigawatts owned and operated by Eskom. Satellite data revealed that the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria are also highly affected by extreme NO2 pollution levels which blow across from Mpumalanga and into both cities due to close proximity and regular east winds (file photo).
