SOUTH AFRICA GREEN ECONOMY BAROMETER 2018

The South Africa Green Economy Barometer 2018 evaluates the country's transition to a sustainable economy, awarding it a '5 out of 10'. While South Africa has strong policy foundations like the National Development Plan and the Green Economy Accord, the report finds that the economy remains locked into 'brown' energy systems, with 90% of electricity still generated from coal. Progress in renewable energy has been stalled by a gridlock between the national utility Eskom and independent power producers. The report highlights a critical gap in supporting the informal sector and small enterprises, noting that 'green jobs' created through public works programmes often lack security and decent wages. Environmentally, the country's ecological footprint continues to exceed its biocapacity, and biodiversity hotspots remain in a dire state. Financially, while green bonds and sustainable finance innovations have emerged, fossil fuel subsidies persist. The document concludes that national plans remain too focused on economic growth rather than social development and the integration of natural capital into decision-making.

• South Africa's energy sector remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels, with approximately 90% of electricity generation coming from coal-fired power plants.
• The transition to renewable energy has been hindered by a stalemate between the national power utility, Eskom, and independent power producers, despite over ZAR 200 billion in investment between 2011 and 2017.
• Despite the existence of the 2011 Green Economy Accord, the report argues it functioned more as a public relations exercise than a genuine social compact for economic transition.
• The transition lacks inclusivity, specifically failing to provide effective support for the informal sector and small, micro, and informal enterprises.
• Environmental degradation continues, with the country's ecological footprint exceeding its biocapacity and significant portions of terrestrial ecosystems classified as endangered or vulnerable.
• While sustainable finance innovations like green bonds in Cape Town (ZAR 4.3 billion) and Johannesburg (ZAR 1.5 billion) have been implemented, the financial system still supports the 'brown economy' through fossil fuel subsidies.
• Public employment programmes like the Expanded Public Work Programme (EPWP) provide environmental jobs, but these are often low-paid and lack job security.

APA

Amis, ,. A., Montmasson-Clair, ,. G., Lugogo, ,. S., & Benson, ,. E. (2018). SOUTH AFRICA GREEN ECONOMY BAROMETER 2018. Green Economy Coalition. https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/assets/reports/Barometers-2018/South-Africa-Green-Economy-Barometer-2018-Final-WEB.pdf

Chicago

Amis, , AM., , G. Montmasson-Clair, , S. Lugogo, and , E. Benson. SOUTH AFRICA GREEN ECONOMY BAROMETER 2018. Green Economy Coalition, 2018. https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/assets/reports/Barometers-2018/South-Africa-Green-Economy-Barometer-2018-Final-WEB.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Amis |first1=, AM. |last2=Montmasson-Clair |first2=, G. |last3=Lugogo |first3=, S. |last4=Benson |first4=, E. |title=SOUTH AFRICA GREEN ECONOMY BAROMETER 2018 |publisher=Green Economy Coalition |date=2018 |url=https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/assets/reports/Barometers-2018/South-Africa-Green-Economy-Barometer-2018-Final-WEB.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{amis2018south, author = {Amis, , AM. and Montmasson-Clair, , G. and Lugogo, , S. and Benson, , E.}, title = {{SOUTH AFRICA GREEN ECONOMY BAROMETER 2018}}, institution = {Green Economy Coalition}, year = {2018}, url = {https://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/assets/reports/Barometers-2018/South-Africa-Green-Economy-Barometer-2018-Final-WEB.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }