A Just Distribution: The Role of Distribution Policy in a Just Energy Transition

This research paper by the Public Affairs Research Institute identifies two critical gaps in South Africa's just transition discourse: an over-emphasis on energy generation at the expense of energy distribution, and a reactive focus on future transition-induced inequalities rather than existing systemic drivers of poverty.

• Current proposals for transforming the energy system focus primarily on energy generation, including the future generation mix, electricity supply, market entry for new companies, the restructuring of Eskom, and the impact on coal mining stakeholders. This neglects the distribution of energy to end users, which the authors argue is the central socioeconomic purpose of an energy system.
• The electricity distribution model has significant causal linkages to poverty and inequality. Initial findings suggest that South Africa's current distribution system actively contributes to increased poverty and inequality, contradicting the country's pro-poor transformation agenda and post-apartheid policy intentions for the developmental role of energy.
• The just transition narrative in South Africa is predominantly reactive, focusing on inequalities that will be caused by a low-carbon transition in generation. This approach ignores existing factors within the distribution part of the system that exacerbate poverty and inequality, which are unlikely to be solved by new generation models or support for coal-mining communities.

APA

Public Affairs Research Institute (2020). A Just Distribution: The Role of Distribution Policy in a Just Energy Transition. https://pari.org.za/working-paper-a-just-distribution-the-role-of-distribution-policy-in-a-just-energy-transition-3/

Chicago

Public Affairs Research Institute. A Just Distribution: The Role of Distribution Policy in a Just Energy Transition. 2020. https://pari.org.za/working-paper-a-just-distribution-the-role-of-distribution-policy-in-a-just-energy-transition-3/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Public Affairs Research Institute |title=A Just Distribution: The Role of Distribution Policy in a Just Energy Transition |date=20 December 2020 |url=https://pari.org.za/working-paper-a-just-distribution-the-role-of-distribution-policy-in-a-just-energy-transition-3/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{publicaffairsresearchinstitute2020just, author = {{Public Affairs Research Institute}}, title = {{A Just Distribution: The Role of Distribution Policy in a Just Energy Transition}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {https://pari.org.za/working-paper-a-just-distribution-the-role-of-distribution-policy-in-a-just-energy-transition-3/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }