Minister Dion George has approved publishing the draft Greenhouse Gas Carbon Budget and Mitigation Plan Regulations for public comment.
The draft Regulations are accompanied by the declaration of the List of Greenhouse Gases and Activities, as well as Technical Guidelines. Developed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the Regulations aim to implement sections 26 and 27 of the Act. These provisions enable the Minister to identify key greenhouse gases and activities, allocate carbon budgets to major emitters, and require mitigation plans to reduce emissions.
This milestone follows an extensive consultation process involving civil society, labour, business, academia, and government departments. Dr George emphasised that the Regulations represent a pivotal step toward building a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy, while fulfilling international obligations under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.
Public notices will be published in national newspapers and the Government Gazette. Letters have also been sent to Cabinet members, provincial executives, the South African Local Government Association, and the Presidential Climate Commission.
The DFFE encourages all stakeholders to provide feedback when the draft Regulations and Technical Guidelines are published in early August. These documents are designed to strengthen the country’s response to climate change and ensure progress toward limiting emissions to between 350 and 420 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2030, in line with South Africa’s Nationally Determined Contributions.
