DNA supported The Green House to consider how the proposed South African carbon tax would impact the attractiveness of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as a mitigation technology in South Africa.
DNA Economics developed an assessment framework that can be used to evaluate, compare and contrast the implementation of the Near-term Priority Flagship Programmes driving climate change adaptation and mitigation responses in South Africa at scale. The framework allowed for the identification of Flagship Programmes which are being successfully implemented, and for highlighting barriers and challenges faced by Flagship Programmes from a programme perspective. DNA Economics also assisted with the creation of detailed operational model that will guide the roll-out of Flagships in future.
DNA Economics supported The Green House in assisting the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) to review and update the Guidelines for the Development of Pollution Prevention Plans for greenhouse gases (PPP-GHGs). The Guidelines provide guidance to companies that have been allocated carbon budgets by the Minster of Environmental Affairs. The requirement for submitting PPP-GHGs has been specified in the National Pollution Prevention Plans Regulations in Respect of GHGs developed by the DEA in terms of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004. The project is funded by GIZ.
South Africa’s INDC forms the basis of the contribution it undertakes to make to prevent and address climate change in the medium term in the international arena. BUSA commissioned DNA to consider what an INDC would look like that adequately reflects South Africa’s socio-economic development and climate mitigation ambitions. The international and local mitigation policy contexts (including the nature of South Africa’s existing pledge under the UNFCCC and local process being undertaken to reduce national GHG emissions) were considered to develop a number of approaches that could be considered to develop South Africa’s INDC. These approaches were presented to BUSA members who voted for their preferred approach. The outcome of this process was a BUSA-mandated view of what South Africa’s INDC should look like. The proposed INDC option, and the process required to fully develop and present it to the UNFCCC, were presented in a position paper that BUSA shared with the Department of Environmental Affairs.
USAID partnered with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) in South Africa to implement the $14 million South Africa Low Emissions Development (SA-LED) Program.
The SA-LED Program aims to address capacity and analytical needs related to low emission development planning and project development at the Municipal level and to transform the South African economy in such a way that it supports jobs and sustainable growth, while lowering GHG emissions. Initiated in May 2015 and continuing until 2020, the Program provided project development capabilities and strengthening public sector development planning skills for low emissions development. In addition, technical assistance and capacity building activities facilitated private sector participation in potential low-emissions bankable projects through identifying opportunities, bringing relevant actors together and facilitating feasibility studies and innovative financing models.
DNA Economics was part of the consortium implementing the project, led the program’s M&E and communications efforts, and provided targeted appraisals, studies, and feasibility analyses. This included value-chain research in specific sectors, to assess the potential for ‘greening’ industrial
The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) commissioned DNA to consider the impact of policies and legislation on the agriculture sector in the province. The study identified both commodity-specific and cross-cutting issues that negatively impact the development of a number of key commodity groupings in the Western Cape. Issues were defined broadly to include both policies, regulations and laws at all levels of governments, and voluntary and mandatory requirements that farmers felt they had to comply with to ensure local and international market access. A combination of primary (interviews and focus groups) and secondary research was used to identify issues and propose solutions to key issues. A framework was developed to assist the WCDoA to priorities addressing 5 issues out of a total of 115 issues identified. 11 recommendations were put forward to address the 5 priority issues, with a further 60 recommendations suggested to addresses other issues in future.
A model (the Biofuels Incentive Model) has been developed on behalf of the Department of Energy to calculate the value of a fiscal production incentive for biofuels announced by the South African government in 2013. The incentive is to be funded by a biofuels levy on all petrol and diesel sold for domestic consumption. The National Treasury requested an assessment of this model to understand its theoretical underpinnings, the calculations behind the model, conduct sensitivity analyses to highlight risks and their likely magnitudes, and identify possible risk mitigation options. The assessment will assist the National Treasury to assess the fiscal risk related to the incentive and to respond effectively to possible parliamentary and other queries on the subject.
ASSESSMENT OF THE BIOFUELS INCENTIVE MODEL (NATIONAL TREASURY, SOUTH AFRICA, 2014) Read More »
The project developed a high-level technology implementation plan for the Departments of Environmental Affairs and Science and Technology to support climate mitigation efforts in South Africa as a complement to work already undertaken by the Departments (most notably the 2013 Mitigation Potential Analysis (MPA)). The project identified short, medium and long-term technology development, commercialisation and roll-out support programmes for priority technologies (and where possible, related technologies for which broadly similar technology support programmes may be relevant).
The National Business Initiative (NBI) implemented the £8.6 million Private Sector Energy Efficiency Programme PSEE) on behalf of UK Department for International Development (DFID) to improve the energy efficiency of commercial and industrial companies in South Africa. The PSEE assisted companies to identify and implement energy saving measures. Assistance was differentiated by company size and provided throughout South Africa. DNA Economics developed the PSEE monitoring and reporting framework by customising an initial framework proposed by the Carbon Trust to ensure that it is suited to South African conditions; consistent with DFID’s reporting requirements; cost-effective; and in line with the PSEE Business Case and logical framework (logframe). The framework included both data collection and process tools for monitoring the success of PSEE interactions with firms. DNA administered an online survey to beneficiaries of PSEE remote advice and implemented outcome monitoring calls to 450 medium and large firms that benefited from PSEE site surveys or strategic energy management interventions. In addition, DNA also provided monitoring and reporting capacity building and training to PSEE personnel and provided quality assurance services.
The project assessed the alignment of policies in five South African sectors (Agriculture, forestry and other land use, Energy, Industry, Transport, and Waste) with the National Climate Change Response Policy (NCCRP). A detailed policy gap assessment framework was developed based on NCCRP general principles and customised for use with four types of policy documents (High-level policy frameworks and strategies, Legislation/Acts, Regulations, and Implementation plans). The “effectiveness” (whether a mitigation option is likely to reduce GHG emissions) and “appropriateness” (whether a mitigation option conforms to the general NCCRP principles) of mitigation elements included in policy documents were also considered.