The carbon tax is likely to be an effective way of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, which lead to climate change and have negative consequences for human life. But the carbon tax that’s been introduced in South Africa could cost jobs unless people acquire skills that can be used in sectors that are not carbon-intensive.
Despite the fact that there will be winners and losers, overall, the tax should benefit South Africans.
Greenhouse gas emissions mainly from human activities such as carbon dioxide trap heat in the atmosphere, resulting in increased global temperatures and, in turn, unpredictable weather patterns. These changes – simply referred to as climate change – have led to devastating outcomes such as severe drought, heatwaves, flooding and wildfires.
Climate change also affects agriculture, water resources, human health, infrastructure, ecosystems and energy. In 2015 United Nations member countries agreed in the Paris Agreement to move faster towards a low-carbon future.
As one of the first measures to combat climate change, South Africa recently introduced a carbon tax. It’s the only African country and one of only 57 globally to have done so. Read more…
