South Africa’s national interest, broadly defined by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), includes a focus on energy, water and food security. These environmental considerations have not only seen Pretoria actively engaged in high-profile multilateral negotiations, such as the UNFCCC, but on a number bilateral environmental agreements. Nevertheless, the country’s ‘green’ diplomacy has not been fully exploited in shaping South Africa’s international engagements in supporting domestic imperatives. This research assesses the integration of environmental consideration in foreign policy and the ‘tools’ available to the country’s diplomats as they engage in the ever expanding circuit of environmental negotiations.