The Implementation and Fulfilment of the Paris Agreement 2015 through South African Climate Change Law

Abstract

Climate change has become an international 21st century environmental concern. Various anthropogenic activities and wide-scale use of fossil fuels have led to the increase of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, which has been proved to be responsible for climate change. International climate change laws have been put in place in an effort to bring mitigation to climate change. The Paris Agreement is the most recent international climate change law being implemented towards climate change mitigation and it is the main focus of discussion in this research. Climate change mitigation, public participation and education and monitoring are the thematic areas chosen for discussion in the research, in an effort to establish how these provisions as outlined in the Paris Agreement, are being implemented and fulfilled through the South African climate change laws and policies. It is significantly recognised through this research, that public participation coupled with education and monitoring are strategic themes, which need to be incorporated towards effective climate change mitigation. This mini-dissertation makes an analysis of the implementation and fulfilment of the Paris Agreement 2015 through South African climate change law, with specific focus on climate change mitigation, public participation and monitoring as thematic areas of study.