A green economy includes the principles of sustainability, inclusivity, equity, efficiency and low-carbon development. References to South Africa’s commitment to and pursuit of a green economy can be found in many national policies, plans and strategies, as documented by the Green Economy Coalition’s Green Economy Tracker. To date, however. there have been few efforts to measure progress in the transition towards an inclusive green economy. This is changing with the launch of this new publication, the Green Economy Bulletin (GEB), which tracks the progress in South Africa against a selected set of economic, social and environmental indicators.

Fourteen metrics have been chosen for measurement. These, while by no means exhaustive, indicate progress (or lack thereof) in the development of green industries and the greening of others. As a green economy can only be sustainable if it is inclusive, equitable and improves human well-being, social indicators are also included in the GEB. They track human well-being through trends in inequality and access to (good quality) basic services, food and education. Then, environmental indicators, such as greenhouse gas emissions and the country’s biocapacity relative to its ecological footprint and water security, measure the extent to which South Africa lives within or “overshoots” natural thresholds and stocks of natural capital.

Download a copy of the Green Economy Bulletin or read online

Data for the Green Economy Bulletin 2022 is available in Excel format: GEB data sheets

Media

Press release: South Africa has some way to go to meet its sustainability commitments

Monitoring identified 23 projects in the fourth quarter of 2021, These recorded a total pledged investment value of R128.2 billion. The Tracker further recorded 263 employment opportunities from one project, comprising 59 permanent jobs and 204 temporary employment opportunities. The majority of projects captured this quarter were announced as preferred bidders in Bid Window 5 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). Three existing projects were updated in the Tracker this quarter.

The Import Localisation and Supply Chain Disruption study is a quarterly report that seeks to identify goods from the list of imports identified in the Import Tracker report that South Africa could possibly viably manufacture. Each quarter focuses on five manufactured items from the list of imports in the corresponding quarter's Import Tracker report. The five products in this report are: 

Product 1: Self-propelled mechanical shovels, excavators and shovel loaders, with a 360° revolving superstructure

Product 2: Storage units for automatic data-processing machine

Product 3: Brakes and servo-brakes and their parts, n.e.s.: Other

Product 4: Apple juice, unfermented

Product 5: Acrylic polymers, in primary forms (excluding poly"methyl methacrylate"): Other

See Import Tracker - First Quarter 2022

The purpose of this paper is to consider how the multiple projects, programmes, measures, initiatives and investments that have been proposed to support a just transition for affected workers and communities in South Africa can be used to inform i) thinking about appropriate context specific codification and tagging; and ii) estimating just transition financial flows. This suggested evidence-based approach supports a learning by doing theory of change and would support bottom-up, on-the -ground evidence to be added to top-down theoretical and analytical approaches to tagging and measurement.

The paper is an initial contribution to what will inevitably be a long-term, iterative ongoing project. The urgency to take preliminary steps is driven by the need to collect evidence to: shape the ongoing research agenda related to just transition finance mobilisation and deployment; assist policymakers to make better and more informed decisions on possible legislative and regulatory interventions, subsidies and incentives to support a just transition; and, most importantly, the identification of just transition financing gaps and opportunities.

This paper argues that South Africa needs to mainstream climate change into its National Development Plan (and Sustainable Development Goals), by advancing i) climate resilient development  through several pathways, including; ii) South Africa’s Nationally Determined Contribution commitment to a low-carbon economy; iii) renewable energy and transition to a low-carbon economy; iv) climate change adaptation and resilience; and v) financing a  just transition to renewable energy. The paper also discusses the impact of the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on South Africa’s competitiveness and climate resilient developmet and looks at the impact of climate change in Africa. It concludes with some policy recommendations on what can South Africa, BRICS and other developing countries can do to support their strategies towards climate resilient development in a way that is socially just and fair.

Support to Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones for COVID pandemic prevention and response: Enhancing industrial resilience in South Africa.

The research for this project comprised three outputs:

Work Output 1: Responses of Industrial Parks to COVID-19 and future pandemics
Work Output 2: Technical support to Industrial Parks on COVID-19 economic recovery plans
Work Output 3: Industrial Park standard operating procedures for disaster risks reduction and response

This document covers Work Output 1: Support Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in responding to COVID-19 through the development of national guidelines for Industrial Parks and SEZs on COVID-19 and future pandemic resilience responses.

Copies of the other reports are available here:

Work Output 2: Technical support to Industrial Parks on COVID-19 economic recovery plans
Work Output 3: Industrial Park standard operating procedures for disaster risks reduction and response

Support to Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones for COVID pandemic prevention and response: Enhancing industrial resilience in South Africa.

The research for this project comprised three outputs:

Work Output 1: Responses of Industrial Parks to COVID-19 and future pandemics
Work Output 2: Technical support to Industrial Parks on COVID-19 economic recovery plans
Work Output 3: Industrial Park standard operating procedures for disaster risks reduction and response

This report covers Work Output 2: Report on technical support on COVID-19 economic recovery plans to selected Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones within the framework of the National Eco-Industrial Park Framework.

Copies of the other reports are available here:

Work Output 1: Responses of Industrial parks to COVID-19 and future pandamics
Work Output 3: Industrial Park standard operating procedures for disaster risks reduction and response

Support to Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones for COVID pandemic prevention and response: Enhancing industrial resilience in South Africa.

The research for this project comprised three outputs:

Work Output 1: Responses of Industrial Parks to COVID-19 and future pandemics
Work Output 2: Technical support to Industrial Parks on COVID-19 economic recovery plans
Work Output 3: Industrial Park standard operating procedures for disaster risks reduction and response

This report covers Work Output 3: The development of Special Economic Zone/Industrial Park Standard Operating Procedures for Disaster Risks Reduction and Response

Copies of the other reports are available here:

Work Output 1: Responses of Industrial Parks to COVID-19 and future pandemics
Work Output 2: Technical support to Industrial Parks on COVID-19 economic recovery plans

The growth of South Africa’s merchandise exports moderated further in the first quarter of 2022, recording an increase of 6.2% year-on-year amounting to R456 billion, down from a 7.3% increase in Q4 2021. The slow growth was driven by poor quarterly performance, with exports declining by 3.7% from Q4 2021. In contrast, merchandise imports saw a significant increase of 19.2% year-on-year, amounting to R394 billion, as well as an increase of 1.8% from Q4 2021. The increase in imports is attributable to the surge in mineral prices, particularly the petroleum prices, exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Overall the push for more electricity generation, particularly renewable energy generation, is likely to result in a significant increase in Wind Energy projects across the country. This is turn will drive demand for components and services needed for development and operations of wind plants. Given  this context, and to add to the existing body of knowledge on the manufacturing value chain for Wind Energy, this report provides focused insights on:

• Tower manufacturing.
• Materials for Wind Energy.
• Imports and exports of Wind Energy components.

 FACTSHEET: Opportunities in South Africa's Wind Energy value chain

RELATED RESEARCH

The state of research on renewable energy value chains in South Africa: Firms and employment characteristics

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