Pretoria - The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has confirmed that no undisclosed meetings were held with the business sector regarding the review of South Africa's climate change commitments.

According to South African Government News Agency, allegations of secret meetings came to light following a formal request under the Promotion of Access to Information Act. The request, submitted by Just Share and the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism on August 25, 2023, sought details on undisclosed interactions between government officials and private industry representatives about the nation's strategy for climate change mitigation, adaptation, energy mix considerations, and the Just Transition to a low-carbon economy. The department has pledged to address this request comprehensively in due time.

The DFFE also reiterated the completion of South Africa's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) process in 2021, which involved extensive public consultation and input from the Presidential Climate Commission. This process culminated in setting a target to limit greenhouse gas emissions to between 350 and 420 million tonnes by 2030, aligning with the Paris Agreement's goal to cap the temperature increase to well below two degrees Celsius. Since establishing these objectives, there have been no further discussions to alter the agreed-upon targets.