Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
centre for research on energy and clean airlatest news & developments
After more than a century of monopoly control under Eskom, South Africa is shifting towards a competitive multi-market electricity system, (Eskom)
CARBON

Some 32 000 people could die if SA doesn’t switch to greener power sooner

People who live close to coal-fired power plants continue to fall ill from breathing in dirty air

  • Zano Kunene
10 min read
The Pretoria high court has overturned the government’s plans to add 1 500 megawatts of new coal-fired power to the national grid. (Guillem Sartorio/AFP)
CENTRE FOR RESEARCH ON ENERGY AND CLEAN AIR

Eskom blames high emission levels on ‘late investments’

However, the utility says has put measures in place to deal with the problem

  • Mandisa Makgakga
3 min read
ALBI MODISE

Joburg’s big stink can lead to headaches and nausea

Sasol has said the levels of sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide were below the limits prescribed by its atmospheric emissions licences

  • Sheree Bega
3 min read
An employee walks past stockpiled of coal for shipping at the Richard’s Bay coal terminal, in Richard’s Bay. (Dean Hutton/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
CANCELCOAL

The post-COP26 state of coal

Environmental organisations say that COP26 ended with ​​90 new coal power projects, worth a total of 88GW, are likely to be cancelled

  • Tunicia Phillips
5 min read
Emissions rise from the cooling towers of the Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. Matla coal-fired power station in Mpumalanga. (Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
AIR POLLUTION

Eskom is the world’s worst-polluting power company by SO2

Eskom alone spews more sulphur dioxide into the air than the entire combined power sector emissions of any country except for India

  • Sheree Bega
6 min read
The World Health Organisation lists air pollution as one of the biggest burdens on the health of children. (James Oatway)
AIR POLLUTION

Load-shedding’s silver lining: Lower levels of sulphur dioxide air pollution

Analysis of Nasa data shows that although SO₂ emissions around the world have fallen by about 6%, the levels are high enough to harm the health of billions of people.

  • Sheree Bega
3 min read
The North Gauteng High Court ruling halts the government’s plans to build new coal-fired power stations. Photo: File
AIR POLLUTION

Air pollution costs $2.9 trillion a year — NGO

The new figure is in line with World Health Organisation estimates of 4.2 million deaths each year linked to ground-level air pollution, mostly from heart disease, stroke, lung…

  • Marlowe Hood
4 min read