“South Africa's Climate Change Act, 2024 provides a legislative framework that guides municipalities to incorporate climate considerations into sectoral planning, including waste management.”

“Climate change response”, “planning” and “implementation” are defined in the Act, and the statute creates duties across national, provincial and local spheres of government. The Act also provides that municipal climate change response planning must be integrated into municipal planning instruments, and it establishes the legal framework for climate change response and implementation in South Africa.

Chapter 3 sets out requirements for climate actions by provinces and municipalities. "Each province, metropolitan or district municipality must have a climate change needs and response assessment within one year of the publication of the National Adaptation Strategy and this assessment must be reviewed and if necessary amended at least once every five years. Within two years of the assessment, the mayor (or MEC) must develop and implement a climate change response implementation plan and review, or if necessary, amend the plan at least once every five years." The summary notes that these plans are to be integrated with existing provincial and municipal planning instruments.

The Centre for Environmental Rights summary states: "The Climate Change Act 22 of 2024 was assented to by the President of the Republic of South Africa on 23 July 2024 in GN 5050 in GG 50966 of 23 July 2024. The President proclaimed its commencement under section 38 on 17 March 2025, however not all provisions are in force." It notes that the Act aims to "provide for the coordinated and integrated response to climate change and its impacts by all spheres of government" and to "make a fair contribution to the global effort to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations". The summary emphasises integrated governance and mentions that the Act will influence planning and implementation across multiple sectors, but it does not expressly refer to municipal waste management or detail sector-specific planning requirements.

“In July 2024, South Africa’s President Ramaphosa signed the Climate Change Bill into law… The Climate Change Act represents a significant step forward for South Africa’s governance of climate change mitigation. Under the legislation, the Minister responsible for Environmental Affairs together with the Ministerial Committee on Climate Change must set sectoral emission targets for each GHG emitting sector in line with the national emission target every five years.” The analysis further explains that the Act establishes a governance framework for sectoral targets and company-level carbon budgets, rather than detailing obligations for specific sectors such as waste management.

The article notes that the Climate Change Act, 2024 "marks a fundamental shift in the legal landscape" by introducing sectoral emission targets and carbon budgets, and by imposing obligations on different spheres of government. It states that provinces and municipalities are required "to undertake climate change needs and response assessments and to develop climate change response implementation plans, which must be integrated into existing planning instruments such as provincial environmental implementation plans and municipal integrated development plans". The piece characterises the Act as establishing a comprehensive framework within which sectoral policies, including those affecting municipal services, must consider climate risks.

The article states that "South Africa's Climate Change Act, effective from May 2025, marks a major step in enforcing climate action across public and private sectors." It highlights that "Sectoral emissions targets will redefine business planning" and that "Climate action will no longer be confined to the national level. The Act requires provinces and municipalities to integrate climate change into development planning." This shows that municipalities are required by the Act to incorporate climate considerations into their development and sectoral planning processes.

The Just SA resource describes the Act as "landmark South African legislation aimed at enabling an effective national response to climate change. It provides a legal framework for a long-term, just transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy and society, ensuring that economic growth and social development proceed sustainably." It explains that "The Act mandates coordinated climate action across all levels of government, aligning policies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate impacts" and that it "establishes carbon budgets and sectoral emission targets". The summary refers broadly to aligning policies and actions across sectors and levels of government; it does not specify that the Act includes explicit legislative provisions guiding municipalities to incorporate climate considerations into particular sectoral plans such as waste management.

The article says MECs and mayors must conduct a climate needs and response assessment and then develop a climate response implementation plan that becomes part of provincial environmental implementation plans and municipal Integrated Development Plans. It also explains that carbon budgets and mitigation plans are imposed under the Act, showing the law is designed to steer climate considerations into government planning.

This policy briefing describes Act No. 22 of 2024 and "assesses the Act and provides a roadmap on how it can be effectively operationalised" for local government. It notes that the Act requires municipalities to undertake climate change needs and response assessments and to integrate climate change response implementation plans into their integrated development plans. The authors emphasise that this creates a legal framework within which local governments must mainstream climate considerations across sectoral functions such as land use, infrastructure and service delivery, though the Act itself does not set detailed, sector-specific duties for areas like waste management.

Shangoni’s note states that "The President has assented to the Climate Change Act, 22 of 2024 which was published for general information." It summarises that the Act’s aim is "To enable the development of an effective climate change response and a long-term, just transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy and society for South Africa in the context of sustainable development; and to provide for matters connected therewith." The overview lists high-level objects and does not mention municipal-level sectoral planning or specific sectors such as waste management.

The article states that the Act "creates a comprehensive legal framework for South Africa’s climate change response" and highlights key mechanisms including sectoral emission targets (SETs) and carbon budgets. It notes that "provinces and municipalities must prepare climate change needs and response assessments and, following these, climate change response implementation plans" and that these plans must be "incorporated into existing planning instruments such as environmental implementation plans and integrated development plans". The authors indicate that the Act establishes framework obligations rather than prescribing detailed rules for specific municipal sectors like waste management.

SAICA’s resource describes that "The Climate Change Act sets out a national climate change response, including mitigation and adaptation actions, which also constitutes South Africa’s fair contribution to the global climate change response." It links to the official PDF of the Act and provides an overview of its objects and scope. The description concentrates on the national framework, mitigation and adaptation, and fair contribution; it does not identify any clause conveying that the Act specifically guides municipalities to incorporate climate considerations into individual sectoral plans, such as those for waste management.

The Act is a framework climate statute and does not itself name waste management in the same way a dedicated waste law would. However, because municipalities must integrate climate response plans into their Integrated Development Plans, the Act can influence sectoral planning areas such as waste services and landfill methane management through municipal planning processes.

In a presentation by Samuel Mabena of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, the Act is described as providing "a legislative framework for the country's climate mitigation system, covering national and sectoral emissions, policies, carbon budgeting, and mitigation planning." It notes that the framework "outlines a coordinated approach involving various stakeholders" and that sub‑national governments are required to develop climate change response implementation plans. This shows that the Act is intended to guide different sectors and levels of government in aligning their planning with climate objectives.

The article states that the Act requires provincial and local governments to cooperate with local communities to address climate adaptation challenges. It also says the Act gives the Minister powers to set emissions targets for sectors such as agriculture, energy and transport, indicating that climate considerations are meant to be incorporated into sectoral planning.

The speaker says the Act creates municipal forums on climate change and that local governments’ job is to coordinate climate actions within their specific areas and report upwards. This is consistent with a multi-level governance framework, but the video is commentary rather than the statutory text itself.