Unveiling local climate action: a case study of mitigation efforts in Gauteng's West Rand District Municipality, South Africa

Effective national climate action hinges on robust local implementation. Fossil fuel-intensive and extractive activities are often based in peri-urban municipalities, but local climate change governance in such areas receives little attention. This study addresses this gap by examining climate change mitigation efforts in Gauteng's West Rand District Municipality (WRDM) in South Africa. The transparency, coherence and implementability of local climate mitigation governance are assessed by analysing available greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) data, policy and regulatory documents from all governance levels, and interviews with government officials. Severe limitations were encountered in accessing local GHG emissions data, little current data was publically available. Moreover, policy analysis reveals a lacuna in the WRDM's climate change mitigation legislative efforts, despite national mandates for local-level action. While the national government offers support programmes, limited financial and human resources at the local level impede implementation. Local governments have a more limited role in climate mitigation in peri-urban municipalities because most emitting activities are outside their jurisdiction. Nevertheless, the large number of such municipalities means emissions from their activities are cumulatively significant, and such municipalities need to be empowered to act. Local governments in peri-urban municipalities often lack the mandate, expertise, financial resources, and/or institutional capacity to control high-emitting activities within their jurisdiction.It is necessary to develop and implement climate action policies and regulations tailored to the unique socio-economic and environmental characteristics of peri-urban areas.The unavailability of critical and disaggregated datasets at the national level hinders precise GHG emission accounting at local levels.