South Africa to miss 2030 emissions goal as it keeps coal plants burning

South Africa will fall short of its 2030 carbon emissions targets set by the Paris climate agreement, according to three senior government officials.

The country, ranking 11th globally in greenhouse gas emissions, plans to extend the operation of eight coal-fired power plants.

Originally committed to reducing emissions to 350-420 million tonnes by 2030, South Africa faces challenges in decommissioning these plants due to bureaucratic delays and a pressing power supply crisis.

While officials discuss a new decommissioning target for 2035, the likelihood of missing the 2030 goal is acknowledged.

Despite this, South Africa maintains its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, as stated by the Environment Ministry.

The ministry will provide its latest greenhouse gas inventory report to the United Nations ahead of the COP28 summit later this month.