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This report examines the financing gap for municipal energy transitions in South Africa, noting that municipalities receive less than 10% of climate finance despite their critical role in the just energy transition (JET). It identifies structural, institutional, and fiscal barriers and proposes four priority reform areas to improve local access to funding.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the financial and institutional barriers preventing South African municipalities from accessing climate finance to support the just energy transition (JET). It highlights a significant gap where less than 10% of tracked climate finance reaches local governments, despite their critical role in electricity distribution and community resilience. The document analyzes current funding models, the impact of national policy frameworks, and provides recommendations to improve municipal creditworthiness and project bankability.

The document introduces a Just Energy Transition (JET) framework developed by Natural Justice specifically for African communities to ensure they are equal partners in energy system changes and benefit from the resulting social and economic developments.

This research paper argues that South Africa should continue to prioritise the financial and debt challenges facing Africa following the conclusion of its 2025 G20 presidency. The author highlights a 'vicious cycle' where debt obligations and climate impacts undermine sustainable development goals, and proposes three specific actions—a technical report on finance barriers, the creation of an African Borrower's Club, and a review of IMF operating principles—to address these systemic issues.

This research paper examines South Africa's G20 presidency, marking the end of the first cycle of summits since 2008. It analyzes the challenges facing the G20's consensus-based model amidst rising populism and the US's shift toward unilateralism, while detailing South Africa's specific priorities for the Global South, including climate finance, debt sustainability, and critical minerals.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice examines the inequities of global climate finance, arguing that current G20-led mechanisms often exacerbate debt vulnerability in developing nations through a reliance on loans and 'de-risking' strategies that prioritize private profit over public welfare.

This research paper argues that South Africa and the European Union (EU) should deepen their strategic interdependence in critical minerals to navigate geopolitical uncertainties and avoid the 'blackmailing logic' of mineral-for-security deals. It highlights the complementary nature of their economies, the EU's financial commitments to South Africa's energy transition, and the need to reconcile the EU's desire for strategic autonomy with South Africa's goal of domestic value addition.

This research paper outlines the priorities of South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency, which focuses on the theme "Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability." The document details South Africa's efforts to center African developmental concerns within the G20, specifically targeting debt sustainability, climate adaptation finance, and the mitigation of illicit financial flows to ensure the grouping remains relevant amidst global fragmentation.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, representing MEJCON-SA and MACUA, has filed an appeal response report challenging the Environmental Authorisation (EA) granted to Tetra4 (Pty) Ltd for its Gas Gathering and Production Project in Virginia, Free State. The appellants argue that Tetra4 used a Basic Assessment Report (BAR) process to circumvent more rigorous Scoping and EIA requirements for the drilling of 18 additional wells, effectively 'project splitting' to avoid comprehensive environmental scrutiny. The report highlights critical failures in assessing climate change and geohydrology impacts, inadequate public participation—specifically the exclusion of farm workers and dwellers—and a lack of state capacity to monitor and enforce compliance in the oil and gas sector.

An address by Dirco Deputy Minister Alvin Botes detailing South Africa's strategic foreign policy approach amidst a shifting geopolitical landscape. The speech emphasizes non-alignment, the role of multilateralism through BRICS+ and the G20, and the necessity of addressing regional security and climate change to protect national interests.

This research paper outlines the priorities of South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency regarding climate finance, emphasizing the mobilization of resources for just energy transitions and the elevation of African concerns within the G20 framework, building upon the foundations laid during Brazil's 2024 presidency.

This research paper by the Institute for Economic Justice argues for a state-led, assertive fiscal approach to South Africa's climate response, critiquing the current reliance on the blended finance model. The author proposes the creation of a Climate Response Fund, financed through a combination of carbon tax reforms, earmarked levies, and public sector efficiency savings, to ensure a worker-centric and equitable transition.

This research paper by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) examines the role of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in providing climate finance for South Africa's Just Energy Transition (JET). It focuses on the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), arguing that its current self-financing model and commercial risk appetite hinder its ability to provide the 'patient capital' necessary for green industrialisation and worker transitions. The paper proposes a shift toward recapitalisation via fiscal and monetary instruments, more concessional lending, and democratised governance to align the IDC with socially just and worker-centred climate goals.

This industry brief by GreenCape explores how Alternative Service Delivery (ASD) can support South Africa's Just Energy Transition (JET). It argues that decentralised, community-driven models can bridge service delivery gaps in energy, water, sanitation, and waste management, particularly in underserved areas and coal-dependent regions like Mpumalanga, to ensure a more inclusive transition to a low-carbon economy.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice argues that a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) is a critical tool for South Africa to ensure a Just Energy Transition (JET), providing a financial safety net for workers and communities displaced by the shift from coal to renewable energy.

The COP29 South African Youth Statement, presented by the Youth Policy Committee Global Change Working Group via Youth@SAIIA, outlines a comprehensive set of demands for the South African government delegation to COP29. The statement advocates for a climate justice approach that integrates human rights, gender equality, and social justice, calling for urgent reforms in water sanitation, waste management, and the energy transition to protect marginalized communities.

This factsheet by the Institute for Economic Justice argues that a universal basic income guarantee (UBIG) is a necessary component of a Just Energy Transition (JET) in South Africa. It posits that while targeted support for displaced workers is essential, a UBIG provides a foundational safety net for those indirectly affected by the shift from fossil fuels to clean energy, builds climate resilience against extreme weather, and facilitates the adoption of sustainable habits.

This report discusses the restructuring of South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) into two separate entities—the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources and the Department of Electricity and Energy—following the formation of a Government of National Unity. It outlines the roles these new departments must play in managing the coal phase-out, the growth of renewable energy, and the sustainable mining of minerals required for the green economy.

This research paper examines the intersection of the G7's climate and energy agendas with South Africa's role as a representative for African interests. It analyzes the outcomes of the Italian G7 presidency, including the Energy for Growth in Africa Initiative and the Mattei Plan, while highlighting tensions over 'green protectionism' and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR-RC).

This report by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) examines the role of South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) in the country's Just Energy Transition (JET). It argues that the DMRE has exhibited significant reluctance to lead the transition, driven by institutional 'stickiness', conflicts of interest between its minerals and energy mandates, and a perception of the JET as a Western imposition. The report highlights a lack of policy articulation, poor stakeholder engagement, and capacity constraints resulting from repeated organisational restructuring and the legacy of state capture. It concludes by welcoming the recent split of the DMRE into two separate departments—Mineral and Petroleum Resources, and Electricity and Energy—as a necessary step to resolve these conflicts and improve policy focus.