FREE TO READ | Green magazine looks at COP28's ramifications

The UN Climate Change Conference (commonly referred to as COP28) was held in 2023 in the United Arab Emirates, one of the world’s top oil producers — and one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. The conference generated its fair share of controversy, not least because of comments made by COP28 president Sultan Al Jaber (CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, nogal) denying the science supporting calls for a phase-out of fossil fuels to limit temperature increases. Nevertheless, it was historic in that it saw almost 200 nations agree to start transitioning away from fossil fuels. It’s extraordinary that this was the first-ever climate accord addressing the prime cause of global warming, given that scientists have understood the link for decades.

It’s thus appropriate that we kick off this issue of Green by examining the responses to and implications of the conference — for policy and our futures. We then look at a trailblazing community conservation project in Namibia and the work being done to restore the Overberg renosterveld.

We get input from WWF SA on the trends having an impact on sustainability decisionmakers and dive into the current and potential effects of climate change on human health. We profile some innovative new approaches to recycling, and dig into sustainable finance, corporate accountability, energy tax incentives and more.

We don’t have decades to wait between knowledge and action, but the best place to start addressing the environmental — and associated existential — threats we face is understanding them. Hopefully, this magazine can contribute to that understanding in some way.

Anthony Sharpe, editor

Browse through the full magazine below (zoom in or go full screen for ease of reading):