Case Study: South Africa

This case study, part of a larger report on BRICS nations, analyzes the fiscal relationship between the South African government and fossil fuels, focusing on revenue dependence and the impact of subsidies.

• In 2017, fossil fuels were the dominant energy source in South Africa, accounting for 92% of the primary energy supply. During the same year, taxes and other revenues derived from the production and consumption of fossil fuels represented 6.8% of the general government revenue.
• The South African government budget is negatively impacted by subsidies provided to both the production and consumption of fossil fuels. The document suggests that phasing out these subsidies in a socially equitable manner would increase government revenues and support a transition to clean energy.
• South Africa must prepare its budget for a fiscal transition as the clean energy transition may reduce government revenues through falling fossil fuel prices and a long-term decrease in the absolute volume of fossil fuel production and consumption. Current fossil fuel revenues should be used strategically to cover social costs for workers, communities, and vulnerable consumers, and to diversify the economy.

APA

Geddes,, R. B. (2019). Case Study: South Africa. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/beyond-fossil-fuels-south-africa

Chicago

Geddes,, Richard Bridle,Anna. Case Study: South Africa. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2019. https://www.iisd.org/publications/beyond-fossil-fuels-south-africa.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Geddes, |first1=Richard Bridle,Anna |title=Case Study: South Africa |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=12 November 2019 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/beyond-fossil-fuels-south-africa |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{geddes2019case, author = {Geddes,, Richard Bridle,Anna}, title = {{Case Study: South Africa}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2019}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/beyond-fossil-fuels-south-africa}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }