Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 30 October 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# The South African Wind Energy Association has acknowledged reforms to the public procurement programme, announced by Energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. The association, involved in the consultations, supports aligning the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme with sector reforms. It emphasises the need to resolve grid access challenges, optimise procurement consistency, and allocate wind energy capacity efficiently. The association believes these interventions will boost South Africa’s energy transition and market stability.

# The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment says air pollution continues to be a leading national environmental human health risk, especially in metropolitan and priority areas. Six of the world’s ten largest nitrogen dioxide emission hotspots are in South Africa, with thermal power stations in the country making up nine out of the ten largest nitrogen dioxide point sources. The department’s Patience Gwaze told Parliament they are strengthening the implementation of the air quality management plans in priority areas.

# And finally: The Rainforest Alliance says there is an urgent need for sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices to combat climate change. Between 2017 and 2022, the world lost 24.5 million hectares of tropical forests, primarily due to unsustainable agriculture and forestry practices. The alliance’s Southern Africa regional director, Marla Naidoo, says the need for a regenerative approach is becoming increasingly urgent, as farmers around the world grapple with extreme weather events and unpredictable climate patterns.

Stay tuned for more news………….