South Africa's G20 Moment: Leading a Justice-Driven Energy Transition through Critical Minerals

African Civil Society Organisations have urged the South African G20 Presidency to champion a justice-driven energy transition by focusing on critical minerals. They call for the support of the African Green Minerals Strategy to move the Global South up the value chain, the implementation of people-centred governance including Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), and the transformation of global industrial financing and technology transfer. The group advocates for public investment in infrastructure to address energy poverty for 650 million Africans and the creation of a Global Critical Energy Transition Minerals Skills Compact for women and youth.

• African Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are urging the South African G20 Presidency to support the African Green Minerals Strategy to increase processing and manufacturing capacities, thereby reducing reliance on raw material exports and utilizing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
• The CSOs demand a people-centred governance approach to mineral extraction and processing, which must include Community Benefit Agreements, protections for formal and artisanal labour, and the use of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) for local decision-making.
• To achieve equitable green industrialization, there is a need to transform global industrial financing mechanisms and facilitate the transfer and sharing of technology for mineral processing and renewable energy.
• The document argues for public investment in infrastructure, such as transportation and utility battery storage, to help lift 650 million Africans out of energy poverty.
• Proposed initiatives for the South African G20 Presidency include advocating for a G20 innovation fund for green mineral value chains and establishing a Global Critical Energy Transition Minerals Skills Compact focused on training women and youth.

APA

Martens, C. (2025). South Africa's G20 Moment: Leading a Justice-Driven Energy Transition through Critical Minerals. Natural Justice. https://naturaljustice.org/south-africas-g20-moment-leading-a-justice-driven-energy-transition-through-critical-minerals/

Chicago

Martens, Claire. South Africa's G20 Moment: Leading a Justice-Driven Energy Transition through Critical Minerals. Natural Justice, 2025. https://naturaljustice.org/south-africas-g20-moment-leading-a-justice-driven-energy-transition-through-critical-minerals/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Martens |first1=Claire |title=South Africa's G20 Moment: Leading a Justice-Driven Energy Transition through Critical Minerals |publisher=Natural Justice |date=26 June 2025 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/south-africas-g20-moment-leading-a-justice-driven-energy-transition-through-critical-minerals/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{martens2025south, author = {Martens, Claire}, title = {{South Africa's G20 Moment: Leading a Justice-Driven Energy Transition through Critical Minerals}}, publisher = {Natural Justice}, year = {2025}, month = jun, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/south-africas-g20-moment-leading-a-justice-driven-energy-transition-through-critical-minerals/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }