Multiple Identities: Behind South Africa’s Approach to Climate Diplomacy

This policy brief examines the tensions between South Africa's domestic economic priorities and its international climate diplomacy. It highlights how the country's reliance on a coal-based 'minerals-energy complex' and the need to expand energy access conflict with its desire to be seen as a 'responsible' global actor and a 'bridge builder' in climate negotiations.

• South Africa positions itself as a "bridge-builder" in international climate negotiations, aiming to mediate between industrialised and developing nations. This diplomatic strategy is partly intended to project the country as a "responsible actor, a stable economy and a platform for foreign investment in Africa."
• Domestic implementation of ambitious climate policy is hindered by a "minerals-energy complex" and powerful corporate interests. Specifically, the state-owned electricity monopoly Eskom has pushed for coal-fired capacity expansion, such as the 4800 MW Medupi power station, while remaining "unsupportive, if not hostile, to renewable energy."
• Sasol, identified as the country's largest point-source of greenhouse gas emissions, is highly vulnerable to an economy-wide carbon price because its specialized operations in producing liquid fuels from coal make "diversification virtually impossible."
• President Jacob Zuma's pledge at COP15 in Copenhagen to reduce GHG emissions by 34 per cent below "business as usual" projections by 2020 and 42 per cent by 2025 (contingent on international financial support) was viewed domestically as the country "punching above its weight."
• Several domestic socio-economic factors constrain progressive climate policy, including the priority of expanding energy access for the population and the role of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE). Because BEE institutions are integrated into the minerals-energy complex and absent from the "immature renewable energy sector," there is little motivation for them to shift to cleaner energy.
• South Africa manages divergent international interests through multilateralism and "quiet diplomacy," balancing relations with the BASIC group (Brazil, India, and China), the IBSA forum, and the African Union. This approach helps mitigate perceptions that it is working against foreign policy partners or betraying "African interests."
• The energy sector was the primary driver of emissions, producing 78 per cent of South Africa's GHG emissions in 2000.

APA

Atteridge, A. (2011). Multiple Identities: Behind South Africa’s Approach to Climate Diplomacy. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate-mitigation-adaptation/sei_policy_brief_atteridge_southafrica.pdf

Chicago

Atteridge, Aaron. Multiple Identities: Behind South Africa’s Approach to Climate Diplomacy. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2011. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate-mitigation-adaptation/sei_policy_brief_atteridge_southafrica.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Atteridge |first1=Aaron |title=Multiple Identities: Behind South Africa’s Approach to Climate Diplomacy |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2011 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate-mitigation-adaptation/sei_policy_brief_atteridge_southafrica.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{atteridge2011multiple, author = {Atteridge, Aaron}, title = {{Multiple Identities: Behind South Africa’s Approach to Climate Diplomacy}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2011}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate-mitigation-adaptation/sei_policy_brief_atteridge_southafrica.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }