Climate Change Act and its Implications for Municipalities

Posted: 29 August 2024

The Climate Change Act 22 of 2024, a landmark piece of legislation signed into law by President Ramaphosa on 18 July, is a game-changer in South Africa's quest for sustainability. The legislation is designed to define, manage, monitor, and implement South Africa's response to climate change and further provides a comprehensive framework that includes the National Climate Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS).

As such, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the South African Cities Network (SACN) will host a riveting lunchtime webinar on 05 September 2024 to discuss in detail the implications of the Climate Change Act. The discussions will focus on compliance with regulations and guidelines as stipulated by the Act.
For municipalities, the Climate Change Act brings both new responsibilities and opportunities. Metros and District Municipalities are now required to review, amend, and publish climate change needs and response assessments every five years.

Recognizing the need for specialized skills, the Act encourages municipalities to form partnerships with public and private sector entities to bolster technical expertise.
Additionally, they must develop and implement a Climate Change Response Implementation Plan, which will also be reviewed and updated every five years. To support these initiatives, the Act mandates the establishment of financing mechanisms, developed in consultation with the Minister of Finance, to fund climate change response planning and implementation across all spheres of government.

Local government is a critical sphere of government in terms of the provision of public services, however, it is faced with a wide range of challenges including governance, service delivery, abject poverty, inequalities, crime, and unemployment within communities. Some of these challenges are exacerbated by the extreme hazards caused by climate change.

As a result, municipalitie are facing the negative impacts of extreme climate events, such as severe droughts and heavy rainfalls pushing many communities at risk on the one hand and then putting basic services and infrastructure under severe threat. To ensure the implementation of the Act, municipalities will be required to integrate climate change considerations into their policies and integrated development plans. It is also necessary for municipalities to mainstream climate change within critical services rendered as listed under Schedules 4 and 5 B of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.

For more information, contact Mr Rabelani Tshikalanke, Senior Manager: Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability email: rtshikalanke@salga.org.za and Mr Shaun Watson, Multimedia & Communications Specialist email: shaun@sacities.net