South Africa

• Treasury issues broad R300 billion (≈US$16 billion) green & transition bond plan: The national Treasury announced its intention to raise a major green/transition bond issuance scheduled for Q1 2026 aimed at funding clean-energy and just-transition projects across mining, manufacturing and infrastructure in South Africa. The issuance is explicitly tied to the national Just Transition Framework and will prioritise job-creation in the coal-belt.

• New water-security regulation for mining sector: The Department of Water and Sanitation issued updated draft regulation requiring mining companies in high-risk catchments (Mpumalanga, Limpopo) to submit detailed climate resilience and water-scarcity mitigation plans. Non-compliance may lead to suspension of water licences.

• Large-scale solar-plus-storage deal in the Northern Cape: A major copper-gold mining operation signed a 12-year PPA with a renewables developer for 350 MW solar + 150 MWh battery storage – the deal includes employee training and local supply-chain components.

• Sustainability & ESG Africa (SEACon) 2025 outcomes: The conference held 15–16 Oct in Sandton emphasised “Adapt, Innovate, Succeed” across African markets. Key outcomes: (i) a coalition of African corporates launched a pan-continental ESG data-sharing initiative; (ii) a charter for SMME integration into corporate sustainability value chains was adopted.

• ESG reporting enforcement rising by JSE: The Johannesburg Stock Exchange announced that from 2026 listed companies must disclose alignment with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) standards or provide a full explanation. Regional asset managers cited this as a key factor in investment screening.

Global

• US tech giant hits 100% renewable data-centre milestone: Nvidia announced it powered all its offices and data centres globally with 100% renewable electricity in FY 2025, including major AI-computing facilities. This sets a benchmark for tech/GHG-intensive sectors. 

• Standardised carbon-accounting framework launched by global corporations: A mid-October coalition of major companies introduced a new “Corporate Carbon Measures” framework designed to harmonise emissions-reporting methods globally—important for investor comparability. 

• New Zealand raises reporting thresholds to revive capital markets: The NZ government announced that companies with revenue below NZD 150 m (was 50 m) will be exempt from certain climate-reporting obligations, in an effort to reduce burden and encourage growth in smaller firms. 

• Global corporate nature-risk investors press ahead: Institutional investors managing tr $3 tn called on governments and corporates to step up deforestation-and-ecosystem-loss disclosure ahead of COP30, highlighting nature as a financial-risk category.

• EU simplifies anti-deforestation regulation: The European Union amended its deforestation-regulation regime to exempt smallholders and streamline traceability for commodity imports such as cocoa, coffee and palm oil—impacting supply chains globally.

Implications for SA ESG Leaders

• Finance & capital-access: The upcoming green/transition bond and global capital flows highlight that listed companies should firm up bankable transition projects and ensure ESG readiness to tap cheaper capital.

• Reporting & disclosure: With the JSE aligning with ISSB and global frameworks (carbon measures, nature-risk), corporates must accelerate data-maturity, scenario modelling and external assurance.

• Operational resilience: The water-licence regulation and the solar-plus-storage deal illustrate the increasing link between physical/climate risk and operational licence-to-operate.

• Supply-chain & nature-risk: The global shift on commodity supply-chain traceability and nature-risk means SA exporters must evaluate exposure, especially in agriculture, mining and forestry.