Climate change
re-issue the authorisation. Such
an order by the court would also
have wider implications for the
consideration of climate impacts
in the authorisation of future
coal-fired power stations.
Despite the fact that Eskom
has been reporting excess
electricity capacity since May
2016, both the Minister and
Thabametsi argued in court
that ELA’s position ignored
economic considerations given
South Africa’s “energy crisis”
and developmental needs. ELA
rejects the argument that its case
has anything to do with energy
security; instead, it contends that
DEA needed to know what the
power station’s climate change
impacts would be before it could
weigh these impacts up against
any developmental needs. It is
also well established that climate
change will significantly impact
the country’s developmental
needs, which include the need for
water, clean air and clean energy.
Water use licence
ELA also disputed arguments
that the consideration of climate
change impacts could be more
appropriately dealt with through
the Air Quality Act as part of the
air emission licensing process,
which process is dealt with by
Municipalities and not DEA.
Although greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions are a significant
contributor to climate change,
climate change impacts are far
broader than GHG emissions,
as some of these impacts include
increased water scarcity, more
extreme weather events (such
as droughts and flooding) and
temperature increases.
Judgment on the case has been
reserved. Thabametsi still requires
an air emission licence, a water
use licence, and a licence to
generate electricity from NERSA.
Thabametsi’s own reports
indicate that the power station,
if it proceeds, would have an
operational lifespan of 40 years.
It would emit 8.2 million tons of
carbon dioxide equivalent each
year, thereby contributing up to
2% to South Africa’s total GHG
emissions by 2020, and up
to 3.9% by 2050.
The power station would
therefore contribute to climate
change in South Africa and
globally. South Africa’s own
national
climate
change
response policy confirms that the
country is extremely vulnerable to
the impacts of climate change.
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