Lané Luyt’s Post

The energy transition brings challenges and opposition towards a sustainable future. In a landmark ruling, the High Court of South Africa has overturned the government’s plans to add 1,500 MW of new coal-fired power to the national grid. - The case was brought by the African Climate Alliance (ACA), the Vukani Environmental Justice Movement in Action (VEM), and the Groundwork Trust, represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER). The applicants argued that the government's decisions violated several sections of the constitution. - Judge van der Westhuizen ruled that the respondents could not provide any evidence to show that they considered the effect that coal-fired power will have on the environment and health of the nation, particularly that of children. - The first and second respondents are the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA). - Minister Gwede Mantashe and NERSA ordered to pay the applicants’ legal fees. - This case sets a precedent for future legal challenges against environmentally harmful projects and emphasises the need for transparent decision-making processes. According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), air pollution from coal-fired power stations kills more than 2,200 South Africans every year and causes thousands of cases of bronchitis and asthma in adults and children annually. #CancelCoal #GroundWorkSA #TheElectricMission on #emissions

The High Court in South Africa has issued an order to join the Minister of Electricity as a fifth respondent in the ongoing #CancelCoal case. This decision follows a joinder application submitted by the applicants, citing the Minister's pivotal role in determining new generation capacity. Centre for Environmental Rights #coalpower #fossilfuel #southafrica #energycrisis #leadershipcrisis #courtcase #airpollution #carbonemmissions #taxpayer https://lnkd.in/g_SYDw-U

The High Court in South Africa has issued an order to join the Minister of Electricity as a fifth respondent in the ongoing #CancelCoal case. This decision follows a joinder application submitted by the applicants, citing the Minister's pivotal role in determining new generation capacity. Centre for Environmental Rights #coalpower #fossilfuel #southafrica #energycrisis #leadershipcrisis #courtcase #airpollution #carbonemmissions #taxpayer https://lnkd.in/g978Jbpe

The global energy transition and net-zero goals present immense risks and enormous opportunities for Africa. Zimbabwe has attracted more than USD 700 million investments from Chinese investors for lithium alone. But this industry has also led to displacement, environmental degradation, pollution, and unfair labour practices, safety and health; and loss of livelihoods for Indigenous communities says environmental law scholar Obert Bore in our blog this week. African countries need to work together to create a Green Minerals Strategy. READ https://lnkd.in/dYHs-E_g

💥 New Policy Assessment from #FairFinanceSouthernAfrica #FFCSA 🏦 Public Finance Institutions (PFIs) operating in Southern Africa serve as the providers of #finance for the major #energy infrastructure and industrial development projects. They do therefore have a crucial role to play in carrying out the #JustEnergyTransition in the region. In this third policy assessment looking at eight PFIs across the nine different themes this report focuses on whether the policies of these PFIs are geared towards facilitating an #energytransition in the region that is truly #just and #sustainable. 👎 The findings show, unfortunately that this is not the case. Of the nine themes assessed, the PFIs performed extremely poorly in #oilandgas, #climatechange and #powergeneration clearly indicating that the PFIs’ have zero or weak commitments to move away from #fossilfuels and to finance a #lowcarboneconomy. The policies of the PFIs are therefore clearly inadequate to address the Just Energy Transition in Southern Africa. Find the full assessment with details on scores of the PFIs across all the themes here ➡️:https://lnkd.in/gXmYwGJ7 #FinanceOurFuture #TheAfricaWeWant #responsibleinvesting #justenergytransition #sustainablefinance #esg #transparency #peopleandplanet #communities Zahra Omar Courtney Morgan Bertha Letsoko #ArmandoAyalaRobles  Centre for Applied Legal Studies 350Africa.org Justiça Ambiental EARTHLIFE AFRICA Centre for Environmental Rights Oxfam South Africa OZA African Climate Reality Project

BREAKING CLIMATE LITIGATION NEWS FROM SOUTH AFRICA: Campaigners have won a lawsuit challenging the South African government's plan to build 1.5GW of new coal-fired power. North Gauteng high court ruled it is illegal because of the potential impact on public health. Three civil society organisations - youth-led African Climate Alliance, the Vukani Environmental Justice Movement in Action and @GroundWork-2 - launched the lawsuit three years ago, arguing that the government's energy policy is incompatible with the national constitution. https://lnkd.in/eEjAhgW8 #climatelitigation #climatejustice

This vital piece of legislation will be a key element of the just transition in South Africa. A swift roll out of the measures contained in the Act is critical, as is strong collaboration between the public and private sectors. Let's get to work!

Source: (Journal of environmental management) Study examines Africa's low-carbon future, focusing on environmental tax, foreign investment, resource dependence, and tech progress. Findings (1995-2019): environmental taxes reduce CO2 emissions; short-term FDI increases emissions, long-term reduces them; resource rents harm the environment; long-term tech innovation cuts emissions. Recommendations: implement carbon taxes, create carbon markets, and develop clean energy infrastructure.

On this #WorldHumanRightsDay, take a look at the publications in UCLOE providing a scientific and academic lens on #HumanRights as it relates to the environment in which we live. This figure, taken from the first article in our list, shows the total climate related disasters per country from 1980-2022. In this #preprint authors consider potential applications of the #LossAndDamage fund in the field of human rights and #HumanSecurity. "A sectoral approach to the Loss and Damage fund: exploring potential applications and guiding principles" Read here: https://lnkd.in/eYdfgRti Access to water and sanitation is a #HumanRight and a 2030 target under #SDG6. This paper explores how public investment in water can help Mozambique reach the targets of SDG6. "Mozambique Public investment in water and sanitation sector and the targets of the SDG6" Read here: https://lnkd.in/eqP9wvMg This article assesses the EU discourse related to the topic of environmental #migration over a twenty-year period, under the context of the EU's interest in human rights and the #climate. "Environmentally driven migration in EU discourse: norms, policies and realities" Read here: https://lnkd.in/eDbWNr5D 

This figure, taken from the first article in our list, shows the total climate related disasters per country from 1980-2022.