Ford, MerrylKanjare, Julian S2025-08-222025-08-222025978-1-905824-75-52576-8581DOI: 10.23919/IST-Africa67297.2025.11060482http://hdl.handle.net/10204/14371As global industries pivot towards sustainability and decarbonisation, South Africa’s manufacturing sector faces significant challenges due to its reliance on fossil fuels and energy-intensive processes. Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) struggle to adopt emissions monitoring technologies, limiting compliance with international regulations like the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and restricting access to export markets. This paper introduces a novel solution: a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Data Observatory that leverages Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies, including IoT sensors, artificial intelligence, and blockchain, to verifiably collect, store, and analyse GHG emissions data. A pilot project at a local foundry demonstrates the observatory’s potential to provide real-time, trusted data to ensure affordable compliance with international standards and national reporting requirements. By addressing sector-wide and national decarbonisation challenges, the observatory supports inclusive, sustainable industrial development while offering actionable recommendations for scaling its implementation across South Africa.FulltextenData observatory4IR TechnologiesDecarbonisationGreenhouse Gas (GHG) EmissionsIoT SensorsBlockchain for Data IntegrityArtificial IntelligenceCarbon Border Adjustment MechanismSmall and Medium-Sized EnterprisesSMEsReal-Time Emissions Monitoring4IR for ManufacturingConference PresentationN/A