Tag: greenhouse gas emission

Globally, the building and construction industry has been putting more emphasis on using energy-efficient technologies and equipment to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption in buildings. This has resulted in the integration of renewable energy sources in building designs with solar panels, wind turbines, and even geothermal systems becoming commonplace.

To support the implementation of South Africa's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment published the Sectoral Emissions Target (SET) Report for public comment on 26 April 2024.

South Africa is in the midst of a data centre boom. Thanks largely to improved connectivity, the number of local data centres has mushroomed over the past decade. In addition to regional players, big names such as AWS, Huawei, Google, and Microsoft have all invested heavily in local centres.

When you hear the word ‘carbon emissions’, images of towering chimneys at coal-fired plants, endless motor vehicles on the highway, and large-scale manufacturing facilities may come to mind. But have you ever considered the environmental impact of your company laptop? Research shows that 3.7% of carbon emissions, also known as global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), are caused by digital technologies.

Process automation plays vital role in making the mining industry more sustainable. It enhances operational efficiency whilst reducing environmental impact. By leveraging advanced automation systems, mining companies can optimise resource utilisation, minimise energy consumption, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

South Africa has experienced severe load shedding (i.e. controlled/scheduled power cuts), almost daily, since September 2022. This recent spike and high frequency of load shedding can be largely attributed to a significant drop in Energy Availability Factor of the coal fleet that has not been optimally maintained due to several  factors.

The aviation sector has pledged, like most, to reach Net Zero by 2050. From the International Air Transport Association (IATA) commitment to ‘Fly Net Zero’ to the declaration from the International Aviation Climate Ambition Coalition at COP 26, the air transport industry is not short of promises to dramatically reduce its carbon footprint.

Can switching to renewable energy solve climate change? More than 90% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are now covered under targets set by countries and corporations, after COP26 last year, and more than 700 of the world’s largest corporations have set Net Zero targets.

Outside, drones fly overhead, keeping an unflinching eye on crops and cattle, while driverless tractors plough the fields precisely and robots methodically gather the harvest. Meanwhile, miles away from traditional farmland, machine-controlled vertical farms grow food without soil in giant warehouses.

Miners are stepping up to take a more prominent role in the energy transition. According to the United Nations Global Compact-Accenture Strategy CEO study, about 72% of mining and metals CEOs agree that sustainability issues, including decarbonisation, are 'very important' or 'important' to the future success of their businesses (compared to just 54% across all industries).