Civil society organisations have criticised South Africa’s draft Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), calling it vague, weak, and lacking ambition. Groups under the Climate Justice Coalition and the Energy Governance South Africa Network argue the plan fails to meet the urgency of the climate crisis or the country’s constitutional and international obligations.
They warn that the proposed emission targets are inadequate for a nation ranked the 13th-largest global emitter and say adaptation measures overlook vulnerable communities. The organisations demand stronger, sector-specific goals, clear accountability, and robust mechanisms for climate finance, loss and damage, and transparent monitoring.
Failure to strengthen the NDC, they caution, risks legal challenges and undermines South Africa’s just transition commitments.
