ESKOM AVOIDS EMISSIONS REGULATIONS AMIDST CONTINUED AIR OF CRITICISM (Tracey Davies)
In a shocking turn of events on March 31, 2025, Dion George, the minister of forestry, fisheries & the environment, made a baffling decision on Eskom's applications for exemption from regulation of toxic air pollution for eight coal-fired power stations. Starting off his speech with a rare acknowledgment of Eskom's devastating air pollution, George claimed to hold the company accountable on emissions standards, but granted them exemptions nonetheless.
Far from being a step towards progress, George's decision can be seen as a continuation of the South African people being "held to ransom" by Eskom. Despite government confirmation that the Air Quality Act does not allow for exemptions from minimum emission standards (MES), George granted all eight power stations exemption from compliance with these standards. For Duvha and Matla, exemptions were granted until their planned shutdown in 2034; for the other six, the exemptions supposedly "expire" in 2030.
However, these exemptions come with only the vaguest of "rigorous conditions" that include health interventions, socioeconomic measures, air quality transparency, emission reduction, and renewable energy acceleration. Howerver, there was no mention of how compliance with these conditions will be monitored, or what the consequences would be for failure to comply.
This decision represents the latest chapter in a long and disheartening saga that started in 2010, when the MES for toxic air pollutants came into effect after a multiyear, multistakeholder process. Despite Eskom and other high emitters being heavily involved in the process, the final MES were substantially less rigorous than originally envisioned, and sulphur dioxide (SO) standards for coal-fired power were weakened even further.
Since 2013, Eskom has not taken steps to ensure full compliance, even making it clear that it would not comply after the deadlines expired. The MES regulate three of the many pollutants emitted by coal-fired power stations and coal boilers: oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter, and SO, with health problems occurring as a result of both short- and long-term exposure.
Studies have shown that Eskom's emissions are responsible for hundreds of premature deaths a year, and have devastating health impacts, yet in its first postponement application, in 2013, Eskom falsely claimed that "power station emissions do not harm human health." A recent study by the South African Medical Research Council confirms that people living near coal-fired power stations face an increased risk of respiratory diseases and premature death, with children under five being particularly vulnerable.
The decision to grant these exemptions highlights a complex balancing act between environmental protection and energy security, with a focus on transitioning towards sustainable energy solutions over time. The exemptions are granted under strict conditions that include health interventions, socioeconomic measures, and emissions reduction, as well as the acceleration of renewable energy integration into the grid.
Enrichment Insights
- Environmental and Health Impacts: The exemptions could lead to increased levels of harmful pollutants like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, impacting local air quality and public health[4]. To mitigate these effects, Eskom must implement health interventions such as deploying air quality monitoring stations and extending community health screening programs[2].
- Socio- economic Impacts: Eskom is required to expedite offset programs and address socio-economic issues, including waste management and green space initiatives, benefiting nearby communities[2].
- Energy Transition: The transition strategy is crucial for aligning with South Africa's climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Climate Change Act of 2024[4]. This transition towards sustainable energy solutions is needed to address the health impact resulting from Eskom's emissions.
- Regulatory Framework: The exemptions are granted under a strict regulatory framework, ensuring that Eskom is held accountable for implementing emissions reduction strategies[2][4].
- The minister's decision to grant exemptions to Eskom for eight coal-fired power stations, despite the Air Quality Act not allowing such exemptions from minimum emission standards, risks continuing the South African people's "ransom" by the company.
- The exemptions granted to Duvha and Matla power stations are valid until their planned shutdown in 2034, while the other six power stations have temporary exemptions until 2030, but with only vague conditions such as health interventions, socioeconomic measures, air quality transparency, emission reduction, and renewable energy acceleration.
- In his baffling decision, Dion George made an acknowledgment of Eskom's devastating air pollution but failed to detail how compliance with the conditions attached to the exemptions will be monitored or what consequences there would be for non-compliance.
- The ongoing saga of Eskom's non-compliance with emission standards stretched back to 2010, when the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries & the Environment finalized MES for toxic air pollutants, with Eskom and other high emitters heavily involved in the process, yet the regulations remained substantially less rigorous than initially planned, especially for coal-fired power stations.
- Eskom's 2013 claim that power station emissions do not harm human health was proven false by multiple studies indicating that Eskom's emissions are responsible for hundreds of premature deaths a year, with devastating health impacts, particularly on children under five, and an increased risk of respiratory diseases for people living near coal-fired power stations. This underscores the importance of the environment, health, and climate change for the South African government and emphasizes the need for acknowledgment, action, and renewed focus on implementing and enforcing rigorous emission regulations in the science, health-and-wellness, and environmental-science sectors by 2025.
