South Africa’s top exports to India are coal, manganese, chemical wood pulp, platinum and spark-ignition engines. India is a key export partner of South Africa, accounting for 5% of exports over the 2010 to 2019 period. India’s transition towards increased consumption of domestic thermal coal and reduced thermal coal imports, combined with investments into additional renewable energy capacity, place South African coal exports at significant risk. India is a significant importer of South African coal, accounting for 53% of South African coal exports in 2019.
This brief is based on a comprehensive review of India’s climate change policy framework in relation to industries, as well as a review of South Africa’s climate and trade risks. It forms part of a research project for the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition examining the vulnerability of South African trade to evolving climate change legislation. The research comprises a main report on The global climate change regime and its impacts on South Africa's trade and competitiveness: A data note on South Africa's exports; case studies on various sectors; detailed briefs that explore South Africa’s trade risks with different countries; and key data in Excel format.
The reports, other country briefs and excel sheets are available at Climate change and trade risks.