Harald Winkler – The Conversation

Emissions from the Sappi-Saiccor paper pulp mill in uMkhomazi, south of Durban, South Africa. Gift777/Getty Images

February 24, 2026

South Africa’s carbon tax should stay: climate scientists explain why

Britta Rennkamp, University of Cape Town; Andrew Marquard, University of Cape Town; Gina Ziervogel, University of Cape Town; Harald Winkler, University of Cape Town; Mark New, University of Cape Town; Melanie Murcott, University of Cape Town; Ralph Hamann, University of Cape Town, and Wikus Kruger, University of Cape Town

Polluting companies in South Africa have had to pay a tax on their carbon emissions since 2019. This gives them a good incentive to reduce emissions.

South Africa’s Kusile coal-fired power plant is the fourth-largest coal plant in the world. Phill Magakoe / AFP via Getty Images

November 16, 2022

Anthony Black, University of Cape Town and Harald Winkler, University of Cape Town

Employment-intensive growth and a low emissions strategy can complement each other in South Africa.

An ironworks in Durgapur, India. Abir Roy Barman/Alamy Stock Photo

May 4, 2021

Navroz K. Dubash, University of Exeter; Harald Winkler, University of Cape Town, and Lavanya Rajamani, University of Oxford

Countries cannot be expected to all tread the same path to net zero emissions.

South Africa still depends on coal for most of its electricity. Shutterstock

March 15, 2020

Harald Winkler, University of Cape Town

Climate pledges must be more ambitious and focus on early and aggressive action to deal with global emissions.

Outside a coal burning power station in Witbank. Companies will now pay each time they emit a ton of greenhouse gases. Shutterstock

May 30, 2019

Harald Winkler, University of Cape Town and Andrew Marquard, University of Cape Town

South Africa will introduce the carbon tax which should be used to ensure benefits to poor communities.

We’ve come a long way since the agreement was formed in 2015. Stephane Mahe/Reuters

November 3, 2016

Bill Hare, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research; Harald Winkler, University of Cape Town; Julia P G Jones, Bangor University; Luke Kemp, Australian National University; Meraz Mostafa, Independent University, Bangladesh; Pep Canadell, CSIRO, and Stefan Rahmstorf, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Experts agree that a new era for climate policy here. But the hard work starts now.

South Africa has a long way to go to make a fair contribution to the global goals set out under the Paris Agreement. Reuters

March 31, 2016

Harald Winkler, University of Cape Town

The Paris Agreement marks an important step towards climate change mitigation – one in which developed and developing countries alike take action.