[{"bbox": [96, 153, 1135, 393], "category": "Text", "text": "On 18 February 2022, the Minister for Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Barbara Creecy, tabled the Climate Change Bill in the National Assembly. The Bill is viewed as South Africa's first comprehensive set of draft legislation outlining the country's legal framework and alignment to global commitments on norms, principles and rules underpinning the shift to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, a low carbon economy and developing adaptation policy and regulatory interventions for developing a just transition to a climate resilient society. The Bill is being considered as a section 76 legislation since its implementation into law will be directly linked to the role of provincial and local government, including the role that the 44 district models will play in carrying out the operationalisation of the Bill. It is anticipated that the legislative process will not be finalised before the end of 2023 and may even go well into the next Parliament after the 2024 national and provincial elections."}, {"bbox": [85, 419, 340, 449], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [96, 464, 1135, 675], "category": "Text", "text": "South Africa is the most industrialized country in Africa and is responsible for more than half of Africa's greenhouse gases (GHGs) mainly due to a heavy reliance on coal for electricity⁶; the country is also a very resource intensive economy. Since 2008, South Africa's coal-based electricity sector has experienced widespread loadshedding due to supply falling behind demand, reduced production by equipment failure and/or damage to power generating station, as well as the slow transition to renewables. The country holds unmatched potential for renewable energy, it is amongst the most biodiverse countries in the world, and has started to promote a circular economy and has endorsed an enhanced nationally determined contribution to the Paris Agreement in September 2021."}, {"bbox": [96, 689, 1135, 820], "category": "Text", "text": "The country is ranked as the 30th driest country in the world and is regarded as a water scarce country. At the same time, the country experiences extreme climate and rain fluctuations and certain areas are prone to flooding. These effects of climate change have a heavier impact on South African women, people living with disabilities and those in the most vulnerable situations mainly because they are more dependent on land and natural resources for their livelihoods⁷ and are less resilient to external shocks."}, {"bbox": [96, 834, 1135, 994], "category": "Text", "text": "Moreover, there is increasing pressure on municipalities in terms of waste management, with many municipalities struggling to provide basic waste management services. In 2018, about 12.2 million households received refuse removal in South Africa while 323 478 households did not receive waste services⁸. In 2020, the total domestic waste generated by households in South Africa is estimated at 12.7 million tonnes per annum, and approximately 3.67 million tonnes of this waste are not collected and treated through formal waste collection systems, resulting in large amounts being dumped illegally."}, {"bbox": [96, 1006, 1135, 1166], "category": "Text", "text": "On the other hand, the country continues to contend with socio-eco challenges such as poor and inequitable access to services, a stagnant economy, unemployment, persistent inequality and poverty. Climate change and unequal access to services disproportionally affect South African Women, the youth, people with disabilities and those in the most vulnerable situations. The delivery of basic services such as transport, energy, water and sanitation, and waste has a direct bearing on the country's GHG emissions and natural resources management as well as the livelihood of people."}, {"bbox": [96, 1178, 1135, 1364], "category": "Text", "text": "South African municipalities can play a key role in addressing inequalities by ensuring that green and equitable services are delivered, whilst taking advantage of digital and smart solutions. The greening of basic services such as water, electricity, waste and transport could contribute to the reduction of inequalities. However, municipalities' ability to deliver quality services in an efficient and sustainable manner, that maximise digital and smart solutions and innovation, is hampered by multiple factors including⁹: aging infrastructure; low levels of capital spending; skills shortages and capacity constraints (including competency or high vacancy rate); poor revenue management¹⁰ causing financial distress as well as constrained cash flow, financial viability and access to finance (credit"}, {"bbox": [85, 1452, 507, 1477], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁶ Over 70% of installed power generation capacity"}, {"bbox": [85, 1477, 1142, 1549], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/SubmissionsStaging/Documents/201905091021---SUBMISSION%20BY%20SOUTH%20AFRICA%20ON%20GENDER%20AND%20CLIMATE%20CHANGE%20E1%20(2).pdf"}, {"bbox": [85, 1550, 283, 1571], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁸ Stats SA 2018 - 2050"}, {"bbox": [85, 1572, 1110, 1597], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁹ Research note from the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) on the state of South Africa's municipalities, October 2021"}, {"bbox": [85, 1597, 1143, 1646], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁰ Out of the 199 out of 257 municipalities that submitted their audits in time to the Auditor General's Consolidated Report 2019-20, only 38 were deemed to be in good financial health while the financial health of 98 was of concern"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1681, 1143, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 6 of 25"}]