🇿🇦 Carbon price in South Africa (2026)

Iron & steel exporters face the EU CBAM gap above the modest domestic tax.

Domestic instrument

Carbon tax ≈R190–236/t

EU-bound exports additionally face CBAM €75.36/t where the domestic price is lower.

Price your exposure →

Instrument

How carbon is priced in South Africa

Carbon tax ≈R190–236/t (≈€9–12, 2025, World Bank State & Trends of Carbon Pricing 2025 / ICAP 2025) with large allowances.

Real facilities

Largest CBAM-sector emitters in South Africa

At the EU ETS price of €80.01/t, this CO2 corresponds to an indicative carbon value of:

Facility	t CO2/yr (est. 2023)	Gross value (full)
ArcelorMittal Vanderbijlpark Steel Works	4,161,451	€313.6M
ArcelorMittal Newcastle Steel Works	2,351,963	€177.2M
Richards Bay, Hillside aluminium plant	1,602,048	€120.7M
ZAF-Gert Sibande_ammonia	1,240,800	€93.5M
Sasol Polymers Secunda, Secunda	1,151,305	€86.8M

Gross value = all tracked CO2 × the carbon price; it is a ranking aid, not a liability. Emissions: Climate TRACE satellite estimates (2023) — indicative, not verified declarations. CBAM falls only on emissions embedded in EU-bound exports, at the phased-in share (2.5% in 2026 → 100% by 2034). More: IndustryAtlas.

CBAM-exposed industries

Pathways for the sectors that pay at the border

Aluminium

≈1.6 t CO2/t direct + power — the Gulf's flagship CBAM exposure.

Steel

1.9 t/t integrated — route choice decides the CBAM bill.

Cement

0.7 t/t, two-thirds process CO2.

Fertilizers

≈2 t CO2/t NH3 — hydrogen chemistry.

Hydrogen

9–11 t/t grey — CBAM from day one.

CBAM — the guide

Phase-in table, default values, what to do now.

🖨 Download this page as PDF — show your management ⬇ Prices (CSV)

Cut the bill at the source: heat-loss elimination via removable insulation typically saves 2–5% of fuel-related CO2 with <2-year payback — run the savings study or read the industrial insulation guide.