South Africa’s Low-Emission Development Strategy (SA LEDS) 2050

Last updated: 9 July 2019

South Africa’s Low-Emission Development Strategy (SA LEDS) 2050 is based on years of work on climate change in the country. To support SA’s climate change response, the country published a National Climate Change Response Strategy in 2004 (DEA, 2004). This was followed by extensive scientific research and analyses to inform SA’s policy approach on climatechange.

 

The SA LEDS 2050 aims to succinctly build upon this foundation and articulate the path going forward in order to place  the  country  on a low-carbon  trajectory,  while  at  the  same  time  ensuring  broader  socio-economic development.The  Strategy  narrates  how  various sectors of the economy would implement policies and measures to reduce emissions up to 2050 horizon.  While principally  focused  on  low-carbon  development,  the  strategy  will  also take  into  account  howmitigation options may affect or be affected by adaptation measures and potential combined effects of these interventions.

 

The SA LEDS 2050 should be seen as a dynamic and flexible document. The strategy takes cognisance of the extensive body of work that has already been developed within the country over the last two decades and focuses on how South Africa can implement what hasalready been defined in its transitions to a low-emission and climate resilient society and economy. These include measures that the government is already implementingthrough a comprehensive  set  of  strategies,  policies  and  sector  plans  within  the  key  sectors  of  the  economy. The  full execution of these measures, will, among others, depend on international support, including technology transfer, skills and capacity building as well as financial support.

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