On expert advice, South Africa cuts its 2030 emissions cap by a third

• News & Highlights

Africa’s biggest polluter has significantly strengthened its climate targets for this decade, as renewables increasingly out-compete coal power

Africa’s biggest polluter has significantly strengthened its climate targets, in light of the latest science and falling renewable energy costs.

Coal-reliant South Africa’s has cut its emission cap for 2030 by nearly a third, from 614 million tonnes of Co2 equivalent to 420 Mt Co2e.

The target was included in the country’s climate plan, which was submitted to the UN on Monday after approval by the cabinet last week.

The document says South Africa “has warmly welcomed” the a special report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on how to limit warming to 1.5C.

“South Africa considers the IPCC reports to be of the highest importance in guiding our actions,” it said.