Climate Change Act (No. 22 of 2024)

The Climate Change Act 22 of 2024 (partially commenced March 17, 2025) is South Africa framework climate law: coordinated cooperative governance across national/provincial/municipal spheres, carbon budgets (s.27) with sectoral emissions targets, listed gases and activities, a national GHG inventory, adaptation machinery, offences and appeals. For CCUS the operative economics run beside the Act through the carbon tax (transitioning rates toward R308/t by 2026 with increased offset allowances) and the Mpumalanga national pilot (Council for Geoscience, 34 Gt confirmed at Leandra) with Sasol-adjacent heavy industry and IRP cleaner-coal framing. The Act gives direction and budgets; the tax and the pilot give the price and the geology. Phase-2 injection results (2025/26) are the outstanding proof point for liability transfer design.