SA’s new climate law under scrutiny in hilarious GNU comedy sketch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHXXf2Q4LX8

So the Climate Change Act was signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July 2024 to much fanfare. This is good news, but what does it really mean?

Now that we have a so-called GNU, will that help or hinder its translation into real-world action, or is it all just more hot air?

According to a statement by the DA’s Dion George, SA’s new Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, “The Act sets out a national climate change response, including mitigation and adaptation actions, which also constitutes South Africa’s fair contribution to the global climate change response.”

There are some positives, such as making the Presidential Climate Commission a permanent fixture, and it’s the first legislation of its kind providing for a coordinated and integrated response to climate change across government and society. The Act has been broadly welcomed by civil society, and Business Day editor-in-chief Alexander Parker argued that it handed a lot of power to the environment minister.

But when certain government ministers seem to be in the pocket of fossil fuel and mining companies and there is also new, competing legislation in the pipeline that seems to contradict climate goals, it’s not surprising that Politically Aweh’s satirical take is sceptical about whether the urgent action needed to curb SA’s biggest polluters will actually happen.

“The new climate law will create carbon budgets to help South Africa reduce our emissions. But don’t worry, I will also soon sign a new Act that helps the petrol industry because balance is important,” the “President” assures his ministers in the “leaked” video.

And who is going to pick up the tab when that balance costs us our environment and economy?

According to the Act, municipalities must come up with plans to deal with the increasingly extreme weather and other climate impacts. With no budget specifically allocated for them to do that, and few functioning optimally, it’s a can of crises and chaos management. As for the environment, well it can’t make party donations or vote so ya know … [crickets].

In other news, the President eats a cupcake and the Minister of Sports goes jogging. DM

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