Climate Commission sees no downside to more ambitious emissions pledge

South Africa’s Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) has recommended that government make an improved carbon-reduction commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and should also confirm a long-term target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In a report delivered to President Cyril Ramaphosa on July 1, the PCC argues that South Africa’s target range for 2030 should be lowered to between 350- and 420-million tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MT CO2-eq).