Centre for Environmental Rights – Advancing Environmental Rights in South Africa

On 30 July 2025, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment published the Draft Second Nationally Determined Contribution for the Republic of South Africa for public comment, under Article 4(2) of the Paris Agreement and sections 31, and 32 of the Climate Change Act 22 of 2024.

Download the Draft Second NDC here.

South Africa, as a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, is required to submit successive NDC’s that represent a progression beyond the previous NDCs and reflect the highest possible ambition. The Draft Second NDC sets out South Africa’s updated climate change mitigation targets and adaptation goals for the 2026-2030 and 2031—2035 period, in line with national development priorities and international obligations.

According to the notice, the draft second NDC reflects South Africa’s commitment to contribute fairly to the global efforts to limit temperature increase to well below 2°C, pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industriai levels. It outlines the country’s greenhouse gas emissions targets, adaptation priorities, implementation needs, and support requirements.

Members of the public are invited to submit within 30 days from the date of publication of this Notice in the Government Gazette, or the newspaper, whichever date occurs last, written comments to any of the addresses provided in the notice.