Ramaphosa launches important new laws for South Africa

The Climate Change Act is now in effect in South Africa, but certain provisions have not yet gone live.

The Act, which President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law last year, was proclaimed by the president on Monday, 17 March 2025.

The Act will enable the development of effective climate change policies and the long-term transition to a low-carbon economy and society.

The Act also aims to lay the foundation for a resilient, future-focused and inclusive ‘green economy’.

It will also support job creation in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, eco-tourism and other sectors.

“The Act represents a critical milestone not just for environmental sustainability, but for economic development and job creation,” said Minister for the Environment Dion George.

“We are committed to ensuring that climate action becomes a catalyst for driving economic growth, creating jobs, and building a sustainable future for South Africa.”

South Africa faces growing environmental and economic complexities as the nation’s largest insurers highlight increasing extreme weather events.

However, it must be noted that not all provisions of the Act have come into operation. Parts of sections 12 through 22, 35, 26, 27 and 30 have been deferred to a later date.

The reason for these deferrals is that these specific provisions are that the department is developing a set of regulations that will enable these provisions to be implemented.

Some of these draft regulations are at an advanced stage of development and will be gazetted for public input and comment soon, George said.

The department said it will keep the public informed of the finalisation of the regulations and the full implementation of the Climate Change Act.

“The recent severe weather conditions that have caused havoc in different parts of the country are a stark reminder of the urgent need for decisive climate action,” said George.

The new laws also have several features the private sector should be aware of.

Law firm Bowmans’ Claire Tucker and Marga Jordaan previously said that the most important of these relates to emissions.

The Act states that the minister will need to develop the following:

• Within one year, sectors and sub-sectors emitting greenhouse gases have published emissions targets;
• Develop sector-specific emissions frameworks and targets in consultation with relevant Ministers;
• Publish a list of greenhouse gases contributing to climate change;
• Assign a carbon budget for a minimum of 15 years to entities involved in emitting listed greenhouse gases.

The Climate Change Act can be found below: