JUST ENERGY TRANSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA

The document serves as a legal resource for South African communities to navigate the transition from fossil-fuel-based energy to renewable sources. It defines the Just Energy Transition (JET) and environmental justice, analyzes South Africa's current energy mix—which is 80% coal-dependent—and outlines the legal frameworks, such as the Constitution and the National Environmental Management Act, that support community participation. The guide provides practical steps for accessing information via PAIA requests, securing Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and engaging in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). It also highlights the potential for community-based renewable energy initiatives and the importance of Community Development Agreements to ensure local benefits.

• South Africa's energy system is heavily reliant on coal, which provides approximately 80% of the country's energy, while renewables (wind, solar, hydro) contribute significantly less: wind at 4%, solar at 3%, and hydropower at 1%.
• The Just Energy Transition in South Africa is defined as a shift toward a system that is sustainable, improves human health and economics, and aims for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 while putting marginalized groups—including women, youth, and people with disabilities—at the center of decision-making.
• South Africa faces a severe power crisis characterized by load-shedding, which saw a 260% increase in 2022 compared to 2021, with 81 days lost to power outages.
• The government is implementing the unbundling of Eskom, separating the state-owned enterprise into three independent units: generation, transmission, and distribution, to allow for independent management and privatization.
• South Africa has committed to international climate goals under the Paris Agreement and its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), pledging to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 17% by 2025 and by 12-32% by 2030.
• The Just Energy Transition Partnership, established at COP26, involves an agreement where international partners (France, Germany, UK, US, and EU) make $8.5 billion available between 2023 and 2027 to support South Africa's transition, focusing on the electricity sector, electric vehicles, and green hydrogen.
• Significant gaps remain in South Africa's energy policy, including an over-reliance on coal, a lack of political will for renewable investment, limited energy access in rural areas, and a continued push for oil and gas exploration.
• Communities can use the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) to secure transparency from public and private bodies, though requests to private entities require the applicant to explain how the information is needed to protect or exercise a specific right.
• The legal principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) entitles indigenous peoples and local communities to be fully informed and give consent without pressure before major energy decisions are made, including the right to withdraw that consent.
• Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are mandatory for certain developments under the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), providing a structured process for the public to register as Interested and Affected Parties (I&AP) and submit comments on proposed projects.

APA

Natural Justice (2023). JUST ENERGY TRANSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/NATURAL-JUSTICE_JET-Guidebook_Version1_Web_Spreads.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. JUST ENERGY TRANSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA. 2023. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/NATURAL-JUSTICE_JET-Guidebook_Version1_Web_Spreads.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=JUST ENERGY TRANSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA |date=2023 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/NATURAL-JUSTICE_JET-Guidebook_Version1_Web_Spreads.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljustice2023just, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{JUST ENERGY TRANSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2023}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/NATURAL-JUSTICE_JET-Guidebook_Version1_Web_Spreads.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }