South Africa Low Emissions Development (SA LED)

Status: Ongoing

The USAID South Africa Low Emissions Development Embedded Staff Activity (SALED) is a $1.26 million institutional support contract that supports climate-resilient development. SALED is part of a broader US Government initiative, Enhanced Capacity for Low Emissions Development, which aids developing countries’ in achieving long-term, transformative development. This initiative accelerates sustainable, climate-friendly economic growth and aims to curb the rise of greenhouse gas emissions.

IDG has placed South African experts within the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) to support climate change adaptation, climate finance, monitoring and evaluation; climate finance; greenhouse gas inventory agriculture, forestry, and other land use; and greenhouse gas inventory industrial processes and product use. We are accelerating South Africa’s transition by providing targeted technical assistance to enhance the foundation of analysis and policy work related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions while supporting efforts to pursue long-term, transformative development and accelerate sustainable, climate-resilient economic growth. SALED exemplifies USAID’s Localization Initiative by leveraging local expertise attuned to the country’s development needs.

Region

  • Sub-Saharan Africa

Country / Countries

  • South Africa
Africa

Select Results

  • Contributions to USAID’s Climate Strategy: Provided support on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Relevant examples of activities include collecting and reporting climate-related data, creating climate change tracking reports, and developing environmental information and strategy tools.
  • Strengthening the Institutional Capacity of South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE): Provided leadership in environmental management, guiding South Africa towards sustainability for the benefit of both its citizens and the global community. The project improved the department’s reporting, data management, and financial tracking systems, enhancing transparency and accountability in climate change monitoring and evaluation both nationally and internationally.
  • Introduction of Climate Risk Information and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS): SA-LED emphasized training indigenous and rural communities on climate risk and adaptation. The project incorporated climate risk information and IKS in selected provinces. It also supported the development of the Mpumalanga Climate Change Information System (MCCIS), a database for tracking climate interventions in Mpumalanga. SA-LED conducted workshops and training on the MCCIS in other provinces to facilitate learning and information sharing.

Areas of Expertise

Climate Change Adaption Monitoring and Evaluation

IDG’s M&E Specialist supports the DFFE in implementing Section 12 of the National Climate Change Response Policy by compiling the adaptation component of the annual report and assisting with both domestic and international reporting obligations. IDG also implements an adaptation-inclusive climate change monitoring and evaluation framework to measure the impact and effectiveness of South Africa’s climate adaptation efforts.

Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Assessment

IDG’s agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) specialist leads the compilation of South Africa’s greenhouse gas inventory for the energy sector. This includes fathering AFOLU emissions data, ensuring quality control and assurance of the sector, compiling emissions inventory reports, and improving the inventory program.

Also, our greenhouse gas inventory industrial processes and product use (IPPU) specialist leads the compilation of South Africa’s greenhouse gas inventory. This involves gathering and sorting IPPU emissions data, identifying inventory requirements, performing quality control, compiling emissions reports, and implementing emissions improvement programs. The IPPU Specialist also supports the operationalization of the national greenhouse gas inventory system.

 

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

IDG’s System Administrator for Monitoring and Evaluation designs, develops, maintains, and continuously improves the Climate Change Monitoring and Evaluation databases and systems. The System Administrator also reports climate change information in compliance with the DFFE’s national and international obligations.