South Africa

General

Very poor

Poor

Fair

Good

Very good

Electricity and heat

Very poor

Poor

Fair

Good

Very good

Industry

Very poor

Poor

Fair

Good

Very good

Buildings

Very poor

Poor

Fair

Good

Very good

Land transport

Very poor

Poor

Fair

Good

Very good

Agriculture and forestry

Very poor

Poor

Fair

Good

Very good

The matrix below provides an overview of what constitutes comprehensive climate policy coverage (details are provided here). The options were identified based on policies that are generally agreed to contribute to emissions reductions (IPCC, 2014), represent sector-level example policies, which have been successful in specific contexts (UNFCCC, 2018; UNEP, 2019), or are expected to result in sufficient sectoral transformation to achieve emissions reductions (Mitchell et al., 2011; GEA, 2012; OECD/IEA and IRENA, 2017; IEA, 2018, 2019). For a complete list of climate policies in this country, see the table at the bottom of the page.

Legend:

At least one policy in force

No policy in force

Not applicable

Policy option	Related policies	Change activity	Energy efficiency	Renewables	Other low carbon	Non-energy
Climate strategy	Intergovernmental Committee on Climate Change (IGCCC) South Africa (2008) Inter-Ministerial committee on Climate Change (IMCCC) South Africa (2009) National Climate Change Response Policy South Africa (2011) Low-Emission Development Strategy (LEDS) 2050 South Africa (2019) Vision, Strategic Direction and Framework for Climate Policy South Africa (2008)
GHG reduction target	Copenhagen Accord pledge South Africa (2010) Nationally Determined Contribution - NDC South Africa (2021) Kigali Amendment on HFCs South Africa (2019)
Coordinating body for climate strategy	Intergovernmental Committee on Climate Change (IGCCC) South Africa (2008) Inter-Ministerial committee on Climate Change (IMCCC) South Africa (2009)
No fossil fuel subsidies	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Support for low-emission and negative emissions RD&D	National Energy Act South Africa (2008)
Economy-wide energy efficiency target	National Energy Efficiency Strategy Post 2015 South Africa (2016)
Renewable target for primary energy	Country has not adopted this policy option.

Policy option	Related policies	Change activity	Energy efficiency	Renewables	Other low carbon	Non-energy
Support for highly efficient power plant stock	Carbon Tax South Africa (2019) General Fuel Levy South Africa (1983) Carbon budget South Africa (2015) Petroleum Piplines Levy South Africa (2004) Environmental Levy on Domestic Electricity South Africa (2009)
Energy reduction obligation schemes	National Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting Regulations South Africa (2017)
Renewable energy target for electricity sector	Integrated Resource Plan South Africa (2019)
Support scheme for renewables	Carbon Tax South Africa (2019) Free Basic Alternative Energy Policy (Household Energy Support) South Africa (2007) General Fuel Levy South Africa (1983) Integrated National Electrification Programme South Africa (2001) National Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting Regulations South Africa (2017) Regulations Regarding the Mandatory Blending of Bio-fuels with Petrol and Diesel South Africa (2012) Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP) South Africa (2011) Solar Traffic Lights South Africa (2008) Carbon budget South Africa (2015) Petroleum Piplines Levy South Africa (2004) Environmental Levy on Domestic Electricity South Africa (2009) Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme South Africa (2012)
Grid infrastructure development and electricity storage	Free Basic Alternative Energy Policy (Household Energy Support) South Africa (2007) Integrated National Electrification Programme South Africa (2001)
Coal and oil phase-out policies	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Support scheme for CCS	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Support for non-renewable low-carbon alternatives	Carbon Tax South Africa (2019) General Fuel Levy South Africa (1983) Carbon budget South Africa (2015) Petroleum Piplines Levy South Africa (2004) Environmental Levy on Domestic Electricity South Africa (2009)
Overarching carbon pricing scheme	Carbon Tax South Africa (2019) Carbon budget South Africa (2015)
Energy and other taxes	General Fuel Levy South Africa (1983) Petroleum Piplines Levy South Africa (2004) Environmental Levy on Domestic Electricity South Africa (2009)

Policy option	Related policies	Change activity	Energy efficiency	Renewables	Other low carbon	Non-energy
Strategy for material efficiency	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Support for energy efficiency in industrial production	Carbon Tax South Africa (2019) General Fuel Levy South Africa (1983) Industrial Energy Efficiency Programme South Africa (2010) National Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting Regulations South Africa (2017) National Pollution Prevention Plans Regulation South Africa (2016) Green Fund South Africa (2012) Voluntary carbon budgets on company leve South Africa (2017) Customs and Excise Levy South Africa (1964) Petroleum Piplines Levy South Africa (2004)
Energy reporting and audits	National Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting Regulations South Africa (2017) National Pollution Prevention Plans Regulation South Africa (2016)
Performance and equipment standards	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Support scheme for renewables	Carbon Tax South Africa (2019) General Fuel Levy South Africa (1983) National Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting Regulations South Africa (2017) Green Fund South Africa (2012) Customs and Excise Levy South Africa (1964) Petroleum Piplines Levy South Africa (2004)
Support scheme for CCS	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Support scheme for fuel switch	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Carbon dioxide removal technology development	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Incentives to reduce CH4 from fuel exploration and production	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Incentives to reduce landfill CH4	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Incentives to reduce N2O from industrial processes	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Incentives to reduce F-gases	Kigali Amendment on HFCs South Africa (2019)
Overarching carbon pricing scheme or emissions limit	Carbon Tax South Africa (2019) Voluntary carbon budgets on company leve South Africa (2017)
Energy and other taxes	General Fuel Levy South Africa (1983) Customs and Excise Levy South Africa (1964) Petroleum Piplines Levy South Africa (2004)

Policy option	Related policies	Change activity	Energy efficiency	Renewables	Other low carbon	Non-energy
Urban planning strategies	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Building codes and standards as well as support for highly efficient construction	National Building Regulation South Africa (2011) SANS 10400-XA: Energy Usage in Buildings Regulations South Africa (2011) SANS 1544: Energy Performance Certificates South Africa (2015) SANS 204: Energy efficiency in Buildings South Africa (2011) National Standard Fixed electric storage water heaters (SANS 151:17) South Africa (2017)
Performance and equipment standards as well as support for highly efficient appliances	Compulsory Specification for Energy Efficiency and Labelling of Electrical and Electronic Apparatus South Africa (2014) Green Star Office v1 South Africa (2010) Product Standards and Labelling South Africa (2005) SANS 941: Energy Efficiency of Electric and Electronic Apparatus South Africa (2012)
Support scheme for heating and cooling	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Support scheme for hot water and cooking	Eskom Solar Water Heating Rebate Programme South Africa (2008) Solar Hot Heating Programme South Africa (2008)
Energy and other taxes	General Fuel Levy South Africa (1983) Customs and Excise Levy South Africa (1964)

Policy option	Related policies	Change activity	Energy efficiency	Renewables	Other low carbon	Non-energy
Urban planning and infrastructure investment	Green Transport Strategy South Africa (2018) National Rail Policy Green Paper South Africa (2015) National Transport Master Plan South Africa (2010) Public Transport Strategy South Africa (2007)
Energy/emissions performance standards or support for energy efficient light-duty vehicles	Carbon Emissions Motor Vehicles tax South Africa (2010) Vehicle fuel economy norms and standards South Africa (2005) Vehicle labelling scheme South Africa (2008)
Energy/emissions performance standards or support for energy efficient heavy-duty vehicles	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Support scheme for biofuels	Biofuels Industrial Strategy South Africa (2007) Carbon Tax South Africa (2019) General Fuel Levy South Africa (1983) Regulations Regarding the Mandatory Blending of Bio-fuels with Petrol and Diesel South Africa (2012) Road Accident Fund (RAF) Fuel Levy South Africa (1964) Fuel Levy on the Sale of Aviation Fuels South Africa (2017) Customs and Excise Levy South Africa (1964)
Support for modal share switch	National Transport Master Plan South Africa (2010) Hydrogen Society Roadmap South Africa (2022)
Support for low-emissions land transportation	Electric Vehicle Industry Roadmap South Africa (2013)
Tax on fuel and/or emissions	Carbon Emissions Motor Vehicles tax South Africa (2010) Carbon Tax South Africa (2019) General Fuel Levy South Africa (1983) Road Accident Fund (RAF) Fuel Levy South Africa (1964) Fuel Levy on the Sale of Aviation Fuels South Africa (2017) Customs and Excise Levy South Africa (1964)

Policy option	Related policies	Change activity	Energy efficiency	Renewables	Other low carbon	Non-energy
Standards and support for sustainable agricultural practices and use of agricultural products	Carbon Tax South Africa (2019) General Fuel Levy South Africa (1983) National Climate Change Response Policy South Africa (2011) Customs and Excise Levy South Africa (1964)
Incentives to reduce CO2 emissions from agriculture	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Incentives to reduce CH4 emissions from agriculture	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Incentives to reduce N2O emissions from agriculture	Country has not adopted this policy option.
Incentives to reduce deforestation and enhance afforestation and reforestation	Forestry 2030 Roadmap (Forest Strategy South Africa (2009) National Environmental Management Protected Areas Act South Africa (2003) National Forest Act South Africa (1998) Strategic Plan for the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries South Africa (2013)
Sustainability standards for biomass use	Country has not adopted this policy option.

Policy name	Sector	Policy type	Decision date
Regulation Regarding Petroleum Products Specification and Standards for Implementation South Africa (2023)	Transport	Energy efficiency Other low-carbon technologies and fuel switch Renewables	2023
Climate Change Bill South Africa (2022)	General	Energy service demand reduction and resource efficiency Energy efficiency Renewables Other low-carbon technologies and fuel switch Non-energy use	2022
Just Transition Framework South Africa (2022)	General	Energy efficiency Energy service demand reduction and resource efficiency Non-energy use Other low-carbon technologies and fuel switch Renewables	2022
Hydrogen Society Roadmap South Africa (2022)	Electricity and heat Industry Transport	Other low-carbon technologies and fuel switch	2022
Nationally Determined Contribution - NDC South Africa (2021)	General	Energy efficiency Energy service demand reduction and resource efficiency Non-energy use Other low-carbon technologies and fuel switch Renewables	2021
Amended Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act 4 of 2006 South Africa (2021)	Electricity and heat Renewables	Renewables	2021
Regulation for mandatory energy performance certificates South Africa (2020)	Buildings	Energy efficiency	2020

Policy coverage:

Policy matrix and sectoral coverage

List of climate policies in South Africa

South Africa policies

Distribution across mitigation areas