South Africa
Background and priorities
South Africa joined P4G as a country partner in 2019.
Sustainable development is deeply entrenched in the Constitution of South Africa. Section 24 of the Constitution of South Africa affords all citizens the right to
(a) an environment which is not harmful to their health and wellbeing and
(b) to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations. As such, it is one of the few progressive constitutions in the world, which embeds sustainable development aspects, as the three pillars of sustainable development address the social, economic and environmental imperatives. Together with several policy instruments such as the Country’s National Development Plan, Vision 2030 and its newly published Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (2020), the country is committed to transforming its economy to a low carbon, resource efficient and inclusive development pathway.
In addition to its national imperatives and extensive policy landscape, South Africa has also undertaken national voluntary reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and is furthermore a signatory to the Paris Agreement.
Various programs and partnerships support South Africa’s transition towards an inclusive and greener economy.
P4G which aims to address and advance innovative solutions, both with start-up and scale-up funding support options, within the thematic areas of inclusive cities, renewable energy, water, food and agriculture, aligns well with South Africa’s development priorities.
P4G through its Regional Hub works closely with the National Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries as the South African P4G focal entity and other sector departments.
Population 58 million
Country Priorities and Plans:
Climate Policy“South Africa, like all African countries, is experiencing serious and ever-increasing climate change related impacts, including the frequency and severity of storms, droughts and floods. These are already causing significant social and economic disruption.
It is an unfortunate reality that the brunt of these impacts are borne by the poorest and most vulnerable communities and groups, largely found in developing countries.
We all agree that climate change is the biggest threat facing humanity this century. We all need to respond according to our respective responsibilities, circumstances and capability.”
