Energy is the dominant source, reflecting a coal-dependent energy matrix, followed by agriculture and industrial processes. South Africa's main emitting sectors (Climate Watch, 2026) are:

1. Energy (89%) – 406.99 MtCO₂e;
2. Agriculture (7%) – 31.49 MtCO₂e;
3. Industrial processes (3%) – 15.32 MtCO₂e;
4. Waste (1%) – 4.24 MtCO₂e.

On the other hand, the LULUCF sector (land use, land-use change and forestry) shows negative emissions, equivalent to -16% of the total, or -74.25 MtCO₂e. This means it acts as a "carbon sink," i.e., it absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits.

South Africa has already institutionalized the theme of just transition in its climate policies. According to a survey by the World Resources Institute (WRI), South Africa was the first country to include the term in its climate targets submitted to the UNFCCC, in its 2015 iNDC announcement (Gómez et al., 2025).

In 2021, the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) was launched in South Africa, with financial and political support from the European Union, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. The initiative aims to accelerate the decarbonization of the South African economy, focusing on the electricity sector, contributing to the fulfillment of the targets set out in the country's NDC (European Commission, 2021).

Then in 2022, the Presidential Climate Commission published the report A Framework for a Just Transition in South Africa, which defines a shared vision, guiding principles and governance arrangements to steer the implementation of a just transition in the country.

The concept of just transition in South Africa is defined as the pursuit of a quality life for all South Africans, in the context of adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change, promoting climate resilience and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The process places people at the center of decision-making, with special focus on the most vulnerable groups, workers in carbon-intensive value chains, mining communities, women, youth, the poor and persons with disabilities.

The Framework structures the transition around three central principles:

1. Distributive justice, so that risks and opportunities are shared equitably, preventing already marginalized communities from bearing the costs alone;
2. Restorative justice, which seeks to redress historical harms caused by polluting sectors, promoting environmental rehabilitation and socioeconomic inclusion; and
3. Procedural justice, which guarantees the active participation of workers, communities and small businesses in decisions about the future of the economy.

Among the sectors and value chains at greatest risk in the transition process, the report highlights: 1) the coal sector, responsible for more than 90,000 direct jobs and concentrated in Mpumalanga, which faces risks of declining demand and severe socioeconomic impacts; 2) the automotive industry, dependent on exports to markets that are accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles; 3) agriculture, already affected by droughts, floods and unequal access to resources; and 4) tourism, vulnerable to climate change and environmental degradation.

The document emphasizes that the transition must be accompanied by robust economic diversification policies, investment in professional training for displaced workers, social protection measures for vulnerable communities, and strong governmental coordination at all levels (national, provincial and municipal). It also proposes incentives for innovation, strengthening the biodiversity economy, developing renewable energy value chains, and encouraging community participation.

The institutionalization of the concept was reinforced by South Africa's new Climate Change Act (Act No. 22 of 2024), which defines just transition as the shift toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable economy and society, contributing to the generation of decent work, social inclusion and poverty eradication.

South Africa's 2021 NDC was the first to dedicate a section to adaptation, submitting its First Adaptation Communication as an integral part of the document. In the update presented in 2025, with targets for 2035, the adaptation section was retained and structured around eight objectives for the 2031–2035 period. These objectives focus on strengthening the country's resilience to the impacts of climate change, with a focus on water security, disaster risk management, public health, infrastructure and food security.

The targets include adapting water and sanitation systems to droughts and floods, strengthening early warning and extreme-event response systems, modernizing critical transport infrastructure, and supporting adaptation in the agricultural and fisheries sectors. There is also emphasis on ecosystem-based solutions, biodiversity protection, and strengthening the institutional capacities of different levels of government to implement adaptation policies and promote more resilient settlements and infrastructure.

The National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS), approved in 2020, continues to serve as the basis for planning and implementing adaptation actions in the country. The strategy also functions as South Africa's National Adaptation Plan (NAP), submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2021. The document sets out a shared vision for adaptation and strengthening climate resilience in the country.

South Africa’s NAP defines adaptation as the “process of adjustment to current or expected climate and its effects.” In this definition, adaptation aims to moderate or avoid harm and, wherever possible, take advantage of beneficial opportunities.The strategy's objectives include: improving legal and climate governance frameworks, developing an understanding of the impacts of 1.5°C and 2°C of global warming, implementing actions during the 2021–2030 period, and expanding access to multilateral adaptation funds.

The priority sectors identified by the NAP are: water resources, agriculture, health, biodiversity, infrastructure, and human settlements. To guide implementation, the strategy organizes its action framework around nine main areas: vulnerability reduction; climate services; risk assessment; adaptation planning; research; awareness-raising; governance; financing; and monitoring and evaluation.