A legal analysis of South Africa's international climate change mitigation obligations in the renewable energy sector

Abstract

Climate change has come across as an overriding environmental concern internationally in the 21st century. A variety of anthropogenic activities and wide-scale use of fossil fuels have exponentially increased greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere which are responsible for causing climate change. There is substantial certainty that the energy sector currently contributes to the majority of GHG emissions into the atmosphere, particularly from burning coal for electricity generation. This is also the case in South Africa, with the energy sector contributing a great majority of emission into the atmosphere. It has been strongly suggested by the world's scientific community that there is a need for a transition to energy efficiency and to renewable energy to mitigate climate change. For the greater part of the 21st century the international community has been taking action through international treaties in an effort to mitigate climate change. In terms of the international climate change regime all countries are to undertake specific obligations which are aimed at mitigating climate change. This mini dissertation analyses the extent to which South African renewable energy law and policy comply with the international climate change mitigation obligation in terms of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change regime