SAfrica's coal dependency puts economy at risk: report
Africa's most industrialised nation is one of the largest polluters in the world and generates about 80 percent of its electricity through coal.
This makes it "uniquely vulnerable" as companies decarbonise their supply chains and countries penalise carbon-intensive imports, according to the group, a collaboration of four non-profit organisations that tracks net zero pledges.
"78 percent of South Africa's exports, worth $135 billion, are traded with 139 jurisdictions which have net zero targets in place. Collectively, these exports support over 1.2 million domestic jobs," the report said.
If the country fails to decarbonise its supply chains, it could lose some of that trade and related jobs, it said.
The group said South Africa could avoid this scenario by phasing out coal more rapidly and positioning itself as a "strategic supplier in low-emission value chains".
"South Africa has the tools to pivot -- proven renewables potential, critical minerals, and seats at global tables," said Net Zero Tracker project lead John Lang.
The report argued that South Africa was "well-positioned to become a key supplier of low-emission goods".
One of the driving forces behind the decarbonisation push is the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs).
Adopted in 2022, the policy imposes a carbon price on imports of goods such as steel, aluminium and cement from countries with lower environmental standards.
A test period began in October 2023 before the law's full entry into force in 2026.
The South African Reserve Bank has warned that carbon-based tariffs could reduce exports by up to 10 percent and that CBAMs alone could shrink exports to the EU by four percent by 2030.
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Euronews
32 minutes ago
- Euronews
Amazon to call on EU judges for online platform rules exemption
Amazon will on Thursday try to convince EU judges that it should not have to comply with the strictest requirements under the bloc's online platform rules – the Digital Services Act (DSA) – because it does not pose the systemic risks that the rules intend to combat. The DSA entered into force in 2023 and obliges platforms to prevent illegal activities online as well as to counter the spread of disinformation. Amazon is one of the 25 Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) that were designed by the European Commission because they have more than 45 million users per month. To them, the strictest rules apply. Amazon challenged that decision before the court and argues that its marketplace activities do not fall in the scope of the rules. A spokesperson told Euronews ahead of the hearing in the EU's highest court in Luxembourg on Thursday that the DSA was designed to address systemic risks brought by those companies "with advertising as their primary revenue and that distribute speech and information". The Amazon Store, as an online marketplace, "does not pose any such systemic risks; it only sells goods, and it doesn't disseminate or amplify information, views or opinions," the spokesperson added. The court last year already dismissed interim measures requested by Amazon in a bid to avoid full implementation until the challenge had been decided. The Big Tech company said that making their advertising public, as the DSA requires, would give away trade secrets to their competitors. However, the ruling said that EU interests prevail over Amazon's material interests and stressed the importance of the timely implementation of the law. The Amazon spokesperson said that despite it contesting the VLOP designation, the company is 'committed to protecting customers from illegal products and content". Consumer group BEUC, which will intervene in the court hearing on the side of the Commission, said in a statement that illegal products have 'regularly' been found on sale on online marketplaces, including Amazon. Agustín Reyna, BEUC's director general, said that 'it is crucial that the DSA applies in full to Amazon and consumers are protected from any illegal practices once and for all". The Commission has opened several probes into breaches of the DSA, including into TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram and AliExpress since the rules came into force. None of the probes, including the one against Temu on suspicion of the sale of illegal products, have been wrapped up. Besides Amazon, German fashion website Zalando also challenged the Commission designation as a VLOP. Zalando said in a court hearing in March that the way the EU executive calculates the user numbers to designate VLOPs can be different from company to company. It also claims that its 'hybrid business model' with a retail business and a partner business does not fall within the scope of the DSA. If the court sides with Zalando, this could mean a breakthrough for other platforms with similar business models, as well as those that also appealed their designation including Amazon, and porn websites Pornhub and Xvideos. Rulings in both the Amazon and Zalando case are expected at a later time. Four of the world's biggest artificial intelligence (AI) companies saw the indirect carbon emissions of their work grow by over 150 percent in the last three years, according to a report from a United Nations agency for digital technolgoies. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) tracked the emissions, energy use, and climate commitments of 200 leading digital companies between 2020 and 2023 using public databases. The report found that Amazon, Microsoft, Google's parent company Alphabet, and Meta have seen a rise in emissions that is either produced or purchased by the companies because of "expanding data infrastructure and energy use". Indirect emissions are those that come from purchased electricity, heat, steam, or electricity use, like in data centres, telecommunication networks, or office buildings. Amazon saw the highest emissions increase at over 182 per cent in 2023 compared to 2020, followed by Microsoft at 155 per cent, Meta at 145 per cent, and Alphabet at 138 per cent, according to the report. The consumption of data centres, which power the AI models that these companies are working on, also rose 12 percent year over year from 2017 to 2023, which is four times faster than global energy growth. The report "underscores the urgent need to manage AI's environmental impact," the ITU said in a statement. Euronews Next reached out to the relevant technology companies regarding this report but did not receive an immediate reply. The report also found that half the assessed companies in their report had committed to reaching net-zero by at least 2050 if not earlier. Despite these actions, the report found that overall emissions still rose meaning that net-zero targets "have not yet translated into real-world reductions".
Local France
6 hours ago
- Local France
OPINION: Give up the search for loopholes - French bureaucracy always wins
To egregiously butcher William Goldman's classic line - 'There are no French admin loopholes, Highness, anyone who says differently is selling something'. France's complex admin means that foreign residents and future arrivals are often left looking for shortcuts, easy options and loopholes - an entirely understandable reaction when you consider the bureaucratic pain that France enjoys inflicting on its inhabitants. It's also a famously high tax country, which means that plenty of people are on the lookout for, shall we say, more forgiving tax arrangements. This one is perhaps less understandable - especially if it comes in the next breath after raptures of delight over France's excellent public services - but it's always going to be human nature to try. The thing is - there really are very few genuine loopholes when it comes to French residency and taxes, especially when it comes to non-EU nationals who come within the visa/residency card system. Advertisement Sure, you might think you've found a loophole - but these almost always end up causing you more problems down the line, especially if your goal is to make France your home. When it comes to people who just want to be here for a couple of years there is a little more wriggle room - but for those who intend to stay in France and will therefore eventually be seeking long-term residency and perhaps even citizenship, trying to exploit a loophole is almost always going to cause you further administrative pain in the future. In my experience the people who genuinely set out to cheat the French system are few and far between - a much more common scenario is people who have simply been given bad advice about a shortcut or loophole that they could take advantage of. At The Local we often get emails from readers who are experiencing problems with French systems - and the people stuck in the worst tangles are almost always those who have at one point been given bad advice. Here are some examples; The 80-year-old lady who had been breezily assured that there was no need for her to do a tax declaration in France, and is now living in fear of fines from the tax office for having failed to make the required annual déclaration des revenus . The British second-home owner who had been advised to get a post-Brexit carte de séjour as a way to 'cheat' the 90 day rule and now finds themselves required to make a French tax declaration and re-register their cars. The American tech worker who had been advised to get the 'more straightforward' visitor visa and then simply swap it for a working visa once they arrived and now finds themselves unable to work for months on end while the request to switch statuses is considered, rejected and appealed. Because France is a popular destination to move to, attracting all groups from retirees to young families, students to workers, a whole industry has grown up around giving advice on navigating the French immigration and tax system. Advertisement There's an entire sector of 'relocation experts', 'hand-holders' or 'concierge services' which specialise in helping foreigners to move to France. Many of these services are great and offer sound advice and insight based on experience with French systems. The good ones should also explain future ramifications of your decisions. However, some give wildly differing advice and it's not always easy to know who is right and who to trust. There's no doubt some of these services can be very helpful when it comes to finding a place to live and setting up services like utilities - I used one when I first moved and they were worth every centime in helping to navigate the notoriously tricky Paris rental market. However, if emails from readers are anything to go by, there also seems to be an increasing trend of these services offering legal advice on issues such as residency, visas and tax status. Advertisement While many are very knowledgeable and diligent with their guidance, the reality is this sector is completely unregulated - meaning that you have absolutely no comeback if you are given incorrect advice. More importantly, you will be then one then left struggling to deal with your irregular residency or tax status while the hand-holder has banked the cheque and moved on. Take this one email we received from an American reader who wanted to warn others of the "pain and damage" one expat visa adviser caused them. He said: "We contacted a well-known expat who is regarded as an expert in visa related issues in France. "We paid them €5,000 to organise a passport talent visa. At first, all was fine, but they soon stopped responding to our emails. To make matters worse, they barely did any work for us. "It turned out that there are dozens of fellow expats in the same position." Advertisement So what can people do? The standard advice is to talk to a lawyer for anything related to residency, and an accountant for tax advice. But even here there are caveats - first you need to ensure that your expert is qualified and registered in both France and your home country, and that they specialise in advising expats/immigrants. Second is that you need to speak to both - a lawyer will undoubtedly give you good advice about visas, but will that leave you with tax problems? The lawyer might not flag that up, because its not their area of expertise, but that doesn't mean there won't be problems. And vice versa, your accountant's advice might be perfectly sound when it comes to tax but it might screw up your residency. It's also well worth speaking to several experts, especially if your personal situation is complicated or you're trying to do something slightly out of the usual run of things. When it comes to tricky issues like remote work while on a visitor visa , different lawyers will tell you different things. It's tempting to go with the one who tells you what you want to hear, but it's a better idea in the long run to get several viewpoints on a situation. Even though you do have more recourse if you get bad advice from a lawyer or accountant , it's ultimately you who will have to deal with any ensuing problems with French admin. If you find yourself in breach of the rules, saying 'my lawyer said it would be OK' is unfortunately no defence at all. Remember also that getting your French visa is only the first step - ask questions about what happens next; will you be able to renew it or obtain your carte de séjour easily? Will you be able to get long-term residency one day? What will your plans mean for your tax status? Will your chosen path make it difficult for you to get French citizenship one day? The French residency card and tax systems are designed to be used by individuals; beware of anyone suggesting that you will need a lawyer or accountant for every renewal/annual tax declaration - they're either just trawling for business or they're setting up a residency or tax status so complicated that you'll be forced to pay for professional advice for every dealing with French admin. And above all, remember the old saying - "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". If there truly were a quick and easy shortcut to long-term French residency with no taxes, then everyone would be using it - we're not handing over a third of our monthly income and spending hours in a queue at the préfecture because we find this a fun hobby. It's because we have learned the greater truths - French admin always wins; there are no loopholes; liberté, égalité, bureaucratié . You can find more information on all things residency and tax related in our Moving to France section. Feel free to share your experiences in the comments section below
France 24
8 hours ago
- France 24
ECB's Lagarde slams 'coercive trade policies' in Beijing visit
Lagarde, one of the world's most influential central bankers, is visiting Beijing this week for talks with local counterparts on the Chinese economy and expanding cooperation. Her visit came as high-level China-US talks in London ended with an agreement to lower tensions after US President Donald Trump launched his tariff blitz in April. In a speech at the People's Bank of China -- the country's central bank -- she urged all parties to find solutions "even in the face of geopolitical differences". Lagarde urged countries to protect the "multilateral framework" of international trade, which she said "so greatly benefited our economies". "Coercive trade policies are far more likely to provoke retaliation and lead to outcomes that are mutually damaging," she added. "All countries should examine how their structural and fiscal policies can be adjusted to reduce their own role in fuelling trade tensions," she said, calling for an end to "mutually damaging escalation of tensions". She warned that protectionism risked "eroding the foundations of global prosperity". Beijing and Brussels' trade policies have been slammed by Trump, who last month threatened to escalate tariffs on the European Union if it did not negotiate a swift deal. China, meanwhile, has sought to improve shaky relations with the bloc as a counterpoint to Trump. China and the European Union will host a summit next month marking 50 years since they established diplomatic ties. The two sides will discuss setting minimum prices for Chinese electric vehicles in Europe and opening a "green channel" for rare earth exports to the 27-nation bloc, according to official statements.
