South Africa to introduce climate change legislation
South Africa will introduce a climate change legislation by 2018, as part of its commitments to the Paris Agreement, the Parliament has said.
The Parliament has been informed of this development by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs (PCEA) said on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.
"The Committee is happy to note that there is such a commitment which will ensure that South Africa as a country lives up to its commitments to the Paris Agreement and begins to implement climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies as part of the peak, plateau and decline trajectory," spokesperson Philemon Mapulane said.
The legislation, once adopted, will oblige the DEA to make a climate change impact assessment as a prerequisite for opening any coal-powered stations.
CIFOR