South Africa
South Africa’s energy transition faces key hurdles in procurement and funding; however, civil society reports highlight that a Just Energy Transition remains achievable through deliberate policies for renewable energy adoption and workforce support
What is in the directory about South Africa?
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1957–2026
Overview
As one of the world's top 20 greenhouse gas emitters (17 largest as of 2022), South Africa is a central focus of global energy transition studies. Its approach serves as a critical benchmark for developing economies balancing climate goals with socio-economic stability.
What are the biggest opportunities for implementing renewables in South Africa?
Many of the directory documents focus on the implementation of South Africa’s Nationally Determined Contribution and programs funded by the Just Energy Transition Partnership, a global initiative to fund the transition from fossil fuels, especially coal, from the economies of countries historically not responsible for the majority of climate emissions. While South Africa experiences significant funding gaps, there is an opportunity for government policy to be successful and create better economic outcomes of affected communities.
Civil society reports in our collection highlight how addressing transmission gaps and reforming procurement would help increase the build out of renewables.
South Africa's energy system is controlled by the national energy company ESKOM and has inherited a design around taking coal power from one region, Mpumalanga (search for it in the repository) and transmitting it to the rest of the country (gga-000133). Our collection has a very diverse group of independent organizations emphasizing how infrastructure and transmission capacity are often the main barrier to the energy transition in South Africa including GreenCape (greenca-000223), Good Governance Africa (gga-000133 and gga-000055) and the Center for Environmental Rights (cer-001070) .
A 2026 study from Greencape found that grid capacity limits installation of solar and other kinds of renewables, like wind, in regions more suited for renewable energy generation, such as Western Cape Region,. For example, one market analysis by GreenCape describes this physical restraint as preventing installation of more renewables (greenca-000223). Multiple reports focus on how to address these limitations: for example, in 2025, GreenCape produced a guide to help executives and other decision makers to make better decisions about investments in both renewables and the infrastructure (greenca-000115)
A 2023 evaluation of energy procurement approaches in South Africa, showed they also don’t benefit renewables (gga-000133). Both a report commissioned by the Center for Environmental Rights (2021, cer-000329) and a study by Good Governance Africa (2023, gga-000055) describe the government’s Risk Mitigation Power Producers Procurement Programme (RM4P) as favoring gas projects in situations where renewables would have been more effective in the long term and better aligned with the larger emissions goals of the country.
How much does access to climate finance affect implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution and Just Energy Transition?
Most of the funding from international initiatives designed to help South Africa implement the energy transition comes in the form of debt held by the private sector. Evaluations from 2022, 2023 and 2025 all found that debt financing is particularly visible in the Just Energy Transition Partnership (clipolin-000218, iejza-000004, saiia-000414). The South African Institute of International Affairs is critical of using debt financing, pointing to how blended finance places significant risk on governments while creating profit for the private entities (saiia-000414).
Analysis by the Climate Policy Initiative in 2023 (clipolin-000218) and subsequently by the Institute for Economic Justice in 2025 (iejza-000160), both describe the overall climate finance available to South Africa as insufficient to meet ambition of the Nationally Determined Contribution targets for 2030 and 2050. You can read about the most up to date progress against the NDC by South Africa at Climate Action Tracker.
Is natural gas a good bridge fuel for South Africa?
All of the recent publications in our collection highlight how natural gas is not suitable for South Africa when considering national policy on the energy transition and the environmental impact of the decisions.TheLife After Coal coalition (CER, Earthlife Africa, groundWork) highlights how natural gas is not compatible with commitments to the Nationally Determined Contributions (cer-000043). A 2022 IISD technical brief on the Just Energy Transition Partnership is highly critical, arguing that the countries in the partnership should skip using any natural gas with more affordable renewables available; they argue that it’s “technically unnecessary, economically disadvantageous, and dangerous for the climate” (iisd-000443)
When gas projects have been implemented in South Africa, multiple of the organizations in our corpus have offered public comments or evaluations that show how renewable alternatives would be less harmful to humans and the environment: for example, a statement by Natural Justice in 2022 (natjust-000268) or a report by the Center for Environmental Rights on onshore gas exploration in the Mpumalanga Gas Project and the Virginia Gas Field (cer-000611).
What risks are involved in closing coal plants in South Africa?
Multiple organizations in our collection describe the social and environmental impact of coal industry closures as poorly implemented. The closure of the Komati Power Station in October 2022 is used as a cautionary tale in three different kinds of evidence: a 2025 policy review (pari-000086), a 2025 ethnographic testimony (iisd-000275) and a 2023 formal policy comments (cer-001070). The history of this process is also documented on the Global Energy Monitor Wiki. All of the documents agree that the closure of the plant without community consultation and without a robust economic development plan had significant negative impacts on local communities.
The Komati case study serves as an example of larger concerns from civil society about lack of investment climate justice components of the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan. The Life After Coal Campaign based at the Center for Economic Rights describes how government programs under the plan prioritized infrastructure investment over skill development and piloting programs for social ownership of energy infrastructure that favor community participation (cer-001070).
Multiple reports also emphasize that the “justice” part of the economic transition strategy doesn’t sufficiently coordinate programs for addressing the skills gap of coal workers, who could be retrained for renewable energy jobs (iejza-000118, saiia-000016, iejza-000004).
In order to be effective at transition from coal dependency, at least five organizations recommend slower more deliberate community consultation on energy transition projects in South Africa, including the Public Affairs Research Institute (pari-000090), the Center for Environmental Rights (cer-001133), Natural Justice (natjust-000268), the Institute for Economic Justice (iejza-000004) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (iisd-000275). Several of the organizations propose the international standard of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for energy and mineral projects going forward (pari-000090, cer-000072, natjust-000181, natjust-000268).
Perspectives
What has happened to workers and communities around closed coal plants when not given enough support?
Throughout the directory South African coal closures do not provide enough support for coal workers and vulnerable populations in the coal supply chain. Economic and social outcomes by coal dependent communities, could be improved if government plans include more consultation, coordination and training support.
Insights
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Each insight is extracted from a source document by a language model, then read and approved by an editor before it appears here. The editor chooses which insights answer the question and in what order; insights are summaries of key information from the original source.
The decommissioning of the Komati Power Station, completed in October 2022 as part of Eskom's 2035 strategic plan, has severely impacted local livelihoods. The closure affected approximately 14,000 coal mines and numerous workers across the value chain. Consequently, youth in Komati have been forced into unstable, short-term employment, such as cleaning the plant or working in car washes and hair salons, which do not provide financial stability.
Public Affairs Research Institute‘Unjust’ Transition for Youth in South Africa, 2025Ethnographic research, characterized by long-term engagement and co-production, is more effective than one-off consultations for bridging trust gaps, capturing lived experiences, and amplifying marginalized voices in policy design. In communities such as Komati, Phola, and Emalahleni, this approach revealed critical information gaps and the exclusion of informal workers and women, as well as a decline in community services after coal plants closed.
International Institute for Sustainable DevelopmentEthnographic Research as a Tool for More Inclusive Just Transition Policies, 2025South Africa's green skills planning is hindered by a lack of national coordination and outdated planning; the Environmental Sector Skills Plan has not been updated since 2010. Furthermore, the R2.7 billion allocated for skills and jobs transition (out of a total R1.4 trillion needed between 2023 and 2027) is considered small in scale and lacks transparency in its allocation process.
South African Institute of International AffairsGreen skills for a just transition: lessons from Brazil and South Africa, 2025
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Women are significantly underrepresented in South Africa's energy sectors despite often having higher education levels than their male counterparts. In 2022, women made up 31% of Eskom employees and 21% of the coal sector workforce, while accounting for only 14% of employees in the renewable energy sector. Within the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) over bid windows 1-4, women held 10% of job-year opportunities.
Centre for Environmental RightsFurther comment on draft South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (July 2023): Gender equality, gender justice and women participation, 2023The decommissioning process is criticized as lacking transparency and community participation, citing the Komati Coal Power station as a negative example where the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was released only one day before a community meeting.
Centre for Environmental RightsJust Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) and Draft Electricity Recommendations: Comments on behalf of the Life after Coal Campaign and the Fair Finance Coalition Southern Africa, 2023The transition to renewable energy via the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) has created thousands of jobs, but these benefits are not equitably distributed. Job creation has primarily occurred outside coal-producing regions, leaving the replacement of mining jobs in Mpumalanga as a critical unresolved challenge.
WWF South AfricaJust Energy Transition and the Water-Energy-Food Nexus in South Africa, 2024There is a reported lack of social security support for workers and communities in South Africa's coal belt, specifically in Mpumalanga, despite International Labour Organisation guidelines.
Institute for Economic JusticeSecretly negotiated South African climate finance deal: a gift to private investors while choking local development, 2022
What are the public health impacts of continuing to operate coal in South Africa?
Continuing to operate coal has significant public health impacts through air pollution and other environmental issues. These health costs subsequently cost the public healthcare system and economy. Renewable energy would reduce this overall structural cost.
Insights
AI-generated
Each insight is extracted from a source document by a language model, then read and approved by an editor before it appears here. The editor chooses which insights answer the question and in what order; insights are summaries of key information from the original source.
Particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) causes significant mortality and morbidity in South Africa. In 2023, PM2.5 exposure resulted in an estimated 42,000 deaths, including more than 1,200 children under five, accounting for 8% of all deaths in the country. It is also linked to 47,000 underweight births and 43,000 preterm births annually, as well as tens of thousands of years lived with disability (YLDs) from conditions such as diabetes (64,000 YLDs), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (26,000 YLDs), stroke (20,000 YLDs), and Alzheimer and other dementias (19,000 YLDs).
Global Climate and Health AllianceConsultation Submission on the Draft NDC of South Africa, 2025The GCHA recommends several improvements to the draft NDC to better protect public health, including the development of integrated surveillance systems linking climate and health data, and the inclusion of specific progress indicators for early warning systems, such as the number of municipalities with actionable response plans. They also suggest that the Department of Health be involved in monitoring outcomes across health-determining sectors.
Global Climate and Health AllianceConsultation Submission on the Draft NDC of South Africa, 2025South Africa's reliance on coal for 86% of its electricity has caused significant harm, including an estimated 2,000 annual deaths from Eskom's coal-fired power station emissions, costing the government USD$ 2,372.78 annually.
Centre for Environmental RightsLIFE AFTER COAL CAMPAIGN COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT REGULATIONS AMENDING THE ELECTRICITY REGULATIONS ON NEW GENERATION CAPACITY, 2011, 2020
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Natural Justice argues that South Africa's continued reliance on fossil fuels negatively impacts public health, citing evidence that a 1% increase in lagged CO₂ emissions correlates with a 0.63% increase in child mortality in South Africa.
Natural JusticeSubmission on South Africa’s Draft Second NDC (2025) — Ensuring Ambition Is Paired With Rights-Based Delivery, 2025
Are South Africa’s commitments to decarbonization enough?
Multiple civil society submissions and reports in our collection urge South Africa to take more responsibility for future emissions. The overall consensus is that implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions, particularly in the phase out of coal and the deployment of renewables is not being implemented expediently.
Insights
AI-generated
Each insight is extracted from a source document by a language model, then read and approved by an editor before it appears here. The editor chooses which insights answer the question and in what order; insights are summaries of key information from the original source.
The CER contends that the draft NDC's mitigation targets—350 Mt CO2e to 420 Mt CO2e for 2026-2030 and 320 Mt CO2e to 380 Mt CO2e for 2031-2035—are unsafe and fail to represent the highest possible ambition or a clear progression.
Centre for Environmental RightsWritten submission on Draft Second Nationally Determined Contribution for the Republic of South Africa, 2025The GCHA asserts that South Africa's current emissions targets for the periods 2026-2030 and 2031-2035 are not aligned with a 1.5°C compatible trajectory. According to the Presidential Climate Commission, a fair share of emissions reductions for the country by 2030 should be below 350 MtCo2.
Global Climate and Health AllianceConsultation Submission on the Draft NDC of South Africa, 2025South Africa's 2025 draft NDC shows progress by shifting from a Business-as-Usual trajectory to absolute emissions targets, specifically tightening the 2030 range to 350–420 MtCO₂-eq and introducing a 2031–2035 carbon budget of 320–380 MtCO₂-eq.
Natural JusticeSubmission on South Africa’s Draft Second NDC (2025) — Ensuring Ambition Is Paired With Rights-Based Delivery, 2025
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The draft NDC is criticized for its over-reliance on international conditionality and a lack of a clear phase-out schedule for coal and fossil fuel infrastructure, which Natural Justice describes as 'policy incoherence'.
Natural JusticeSubmission on South Africa’s Draft Second NDC (2025) — Ensuring Ambition Is Paired With Rights-Based Delivery, 2025South Africa is the world's 17th largest emitter of greenhouse gases, producing 534.53 million tonnes in 2022. While it aims for net-zero by 2050 and has set 2030 emission reduction targets between 350-420 megatons, the government has admitted these 2030 goals are unlikely to be met.
South African Institute of International AffairsThe G7, South Africa and the Sustainable Climate Agenda for Africa, 2024South Africa is the 15th largest global carbon emitter and the largest in Africa. The report notesC notes that the country will likely missSS miss its 2030 ParisS carbon emissions targets under the Paris Agreement due to the decision to extend the life of several coal-fired power stations.
Institute for Security StudiesSouth Africa Development Futures, 2026