Just Share Questions Sasol's Emissions Reduction Plan
A report from Just Share challenges the pace and credibility of the energy company's plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Oil and Gas
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Just Share released a report questioning the credibility of Sasol's greenhouse gas emissions reduction plan. Sasol maintains its 2030 commitments and says it is making measurable progress, reporting a net 15% cut in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by the end of its 2026 financial year against a 2017 baseline.
Why it matters
Sasol supplies some 30% of South Africa's liquid fuel requirements, so its emissions path bears directly on national energy security, climate commitments and the communities near its operations. The dispute centres on whether the company's pragmatic, value-led approach can deliver deep cuts while protecting affordability.
Sasol reported a net 15% cut in group Scope 1 and 2 emissions by the end of FY2026 against its 2017 baseline, halfway to its 30% target for 2030. Adjusted EBITDA for the period was R61 billion, up 17%, with net debt excluding leases at $3.3 billion.
The players
Just Share
A South African non-profit organisation that advocates for a just energy transition and published the report questioning Sasol's plan.
Sasol
A South African integrated energy and chemicals company that supplies about 30% of the country's liquid fuel needs and operates the Secunda and Sasolburg facilities.
CREA
The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, which released a September 2026 report estimating roughly 1,000 pollution-linked deaths a year from Sasol's Secunda operations.
The details
Just Share's report, titled Driving a credible and just transition at Sasol, argues the company has not supplied sufficient detail on how individual abatement measures contribute to its targets. Sasol responded that its approach is deliberately pragmatic, balancing emissions reduction with energy security and affordability, and that it has acquired 1.37GW of renewable energy locally, with 510MW already operational.
Timeline
2021: Sasol set its plan to cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 30% by 2030 against a 2017 baseline.
2025: Sasol shifted toward saving cash, minimising capital expenditure and ramping up coal-to-liquids production.
September 2026: CREA estimated Sasol's pollution from its Secunda operations causes about 1,000 deaths a year.
13 November 2026: Sasol's annual general meeting.
Roadmap
Sasol's coal-to-liquids production at Secunda remains central to South Africa's liquid fuel supply, and the company's 2025 shift toward coal-to-liquids and cash preservation is the backdrop to the current dispute. The gap between that production model and the 2030 emissions target sits at the heart of the debate over whether the transition can be both credible and affordable.
Because Sasol supplies about 30% of South Africa's liquid fuel, shifts in its production model can affect fuel availability and pricing for drivers and businesses. Residents near Secunda and Sasolburg may also feel the health effects of the pollution at the centre of the debate.
The takeaway
Emissions targets are only as credible as the detail behind them, and reporting that shows how each measure contributes will be central to judging Sasol's progress. Stakeholders are likely to weigh both climate commitments and energy security as the 2030 deadline approaches.
What happens next
Sasol's annual general meeting on 13 November 2026 is the next scheduled point at which shareholders can question the company's emissions strategy.
Further reading
For broader context on the sector, see Oil and Gas coverage across South Africa.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Times LIVE.
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