This document amends the National Environmental Management Air Quality Act. The purpose of the National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Regulations is to introduce a single national reporting system for the transparent reporting of greenhouse gas emissions, which will be used to maintain a National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, allow South Africa to meet its UNFCCC reporting obligations and to inform the formulation and implementation of legislation and policy.
 
 The emission sources and data providers who are covered by the Regulations are set out in Annexure 1 and Regulation 4. The sectors covered include energy, transport, industry, agriculture and forestry. The Regulations also set out the reporting requirements, calculation methodology, verification procedure (to be carried out by the National Inventory Unit) and penalties (which include fines and imprisonment).

The declaration of 21 July, 2017 officially recognises greenhouse gases as priority air pollutants.