In a bold move toward a sustainable future, South Africa has set its sights on achieving net zero emissions by the year 2050 as part of its low-emission development strategy. This ambitious target has garnered significant support from local businesses and institutions, but everyone involved acknowledges the daunting challenges that lie ahead.

Sune van Niekerk, a consultant and compliance specialist at World Wide Industrial and Systems Engineers (WWISE), emphasised the urgency of the situation. She pointed out that South Africa currently lacks the financial capacity to address the environmental damage caused by emissions. As a result, rural communities are likely to be the first to suffer the consequences, with deteriorating living conditions, harm to livestock, and a declining environment making survival increasingly difficult. Remedying this situation will require extensive government intervention and substantial time to rebuild and restore these communities.

Van Niekerk stressed the importance of unity among all South Africans to overcome both environmental and economic obstacles. She noted, “It will also require all South Africans to band together to overcome both environmental and economic obstacles.”

For businesses, it is becoming increasingly vital to assess their position on the net-zero emissions roadmap. Identifying the gaps between their current state and the desired state is crucial. Van Niekerk recommended a phased approach to measure and track progress. She said, “By breaking up what needs to be done in phases, the business can achieve small targets, which will hopefully assist them in reaching the bigger goal.”

Furthermore, since the net zero 2050 target is global, alignment with international standards is essential. ISO standardisation principles and processes developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) will play a pivotal role in this alignment.

Sibongile Ncwane, WWISE Legal Manager, highlighted several key ISO standards that should be implemented:

1. ISO 14064 – Greenhouse Gases: Specifies principles and requirements for quantifying and reporting greenhouse gas emissions and removals at the organizational level.
2. ISO 14067 – Greenhouse Gases – Carbon Footprint of Products: Provides guidelines for quantifying and reporting the carbon footprint of a product based on life cycle assessment.
3. ISO 14090 – Adaptation to Climate Change: Offers principles, requirements, and guidelines for climate change adaptation planning.
4. ISO 14080 – Greenhouse Gas Management and Related Activities: Provides a framework and guiding principles for environmental management, particularly related to greenhouse gas emissions and removals.

Simone Samuel, WWISE Senior Consultant and Project Manager, stressed the significance of leadership in integrating ISO standards into business processes. She said, “It is important that the commitment from top management is clearly demonstrated through their actions and supporting various process owners. Thereafter, the culture change within the organisation will not be met with resistance.”

Implementing these standards brings numerous benefits. Economically, it can improve operational efficiency, reduce regulatory risks and costs, and open doors to new markets while appealing to stakeholders and investors. On the environmental front, it can lead to reduced carbon footprints, pollution prevention, and biodiversity protection, ultimately aiding in mitigating the effects of climate change.

Considering that South Africa is already experiencing the impacts of climate change, such as droughts, extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and shifting agricultural patterns, the commitment to addressing emissions and contributing to a sustainable future will enhance South Africa’s attractiveness to investors and foreign businesses, according to experts from WWISE.