South Africa Lags Behind in Achieving 2025 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Target

South Africa, the world's 14th largest source of greenhouse gases, finds itself trailing in its ambition to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions to less than 510 million tons by 2025, as disclosed by Environment Minister Barbara Creecy.

In response to last Friday's parliamentary queries, Creecy stated that South Africa produced an alarming 480 million tons of carbon dioxide or its equivalent in 2020 - a figure that shows the country is off the mark in achieving its 2025 upper limit emissions target. This target, part of South Africa's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations' global climate goal, still appears elusive even as the 2030 target of 440 million tons looms.

South Africa's upper limit target for greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 was 614 million tons, accentuating the urgency with which the country needs to scale back on carbon dioxide productions.

The majority of South Africa's electricity is coal-generated, and the country also runs a vast petrochemical industry- the primary sources contributing to its high rates of greenhouse gas emissions. As South Africa grapples with meeting its 2025 greenhouse gas emissions target, these factors pose significant environmental challenges that require determined and immediate solutions.