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This research paper evaluates the coherence of national water, energy, and agricultural policies in four Sub-Saharan African countries to determine their impact on Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus integration and energy transition pathways.

The 2025 Energy Services Market Intelligence Report by GreenCape analyzes investment opportunities in embedded solar PV and behind-the-meter (BTM) lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS) for South Africa's commercial, industrial, and agricultural (CI&A) sectors. The report highlights a shift in market drivers from mitigating loadshedding toward long-term cost savings, energy security, and decarbonization to meet international trade requirements.

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.

This research paper, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in 2006, analyzes South Africa's position as a regional hub and its role in global structural policy. It examines the country's economic integration, socio-economic challenges, environmental policies, and its evolving approach to global governance and trade, specifically focusing on its relations with Germany and other developing nations.

The Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy for South Africa is a national roadmap designed to transition the country from a raw material supplier to a global hub for processed critical minerals and high-value end products. The strategy focuses on leveraging South Africa's vast reserves of platinum group metals, manganese, and vanadium to support the global energy transition, specifically in sectors like electric vehicles, green hydrogen, and renewable energy. It outlines six strategic pillars—geoscience mapping, value addition, R&D, infrastructure, financial instruments, and regulatory harmonisation—to drive industrialisation, job creation, and economic resilience while navigating complex geopolitical tensions and promoting regional integration within Africa.

This statement, submitted in April 2021 by the Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA), the South African Medical Association, and Amref Health Africa, provides recommendations for South Africa's updated draft Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The authors argue that the draft's emission reduction targets are insufficient to protect public health and urge the government to align targets with a 2°C goal. The document emphasizes the critical link between climate action and health outcomes, proposing a 'One Health' approach and a policy roadmap focusing on energy, food and agriculture, and transportation to maximize health and equity co-benefits.

A letter from Greenpeace Africa to South Africa's Minister of Energy, Jeff Radebe, dated 7 March 2018, requesting a meeting to discuss the country's energy trajectory and the update of the Integrated Energy Plan (IEP) and Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).

South Africa's green technology transfer ecosystem is characterized by a comprehensive but fragmented policy landscape. While strategic frameworks like the National Development Plan 2030 and the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) aim to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, a core tension exists between social equity goals—such as localisation requirements—and the urgent need for rapid decarbonisation. Successes in the energy sector via the REIPPPP contrast with significant gaps in funding and commercialisation capacity within the broader research and innovation ecosystem.

The Illustrative People’s Energy Plan (IPEP), developed by WWF South Africa and the Energy Systems Research Group (ESRG) at the University of Cape Town, serves as a model for a transparent, climate-friendly energy plan for South Africa. It aims to show how the country can fulfill climate commitments while maintaining affordable and reliable energy, filling a gap left by the absence of a national Integrated Energy Plan (IEP) for over twenty years.

This policy brief examines Nigeria's challenge of reconciling an immediate economic and security crisis with its goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2060. It analyzes the tensions between Nigeria's reliance on petroleum and gas as transition fuels and the shifting priorities of international financiers who are increasingly phasing out fossil fuel funding. The document evaluates three policy options for the Tinubu administration and uses the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KE) as a case study to highlight the systemic inefficiencies and high losses in the power sector that must be addressed before large-scale energy transitions, such as electric vehicle adoption, can be viable.

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 document is a legal application by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) to be admitted as amicus curiae in a High Court case between the City of Cape Town, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), and the Minister of Energy. The CER seeks to provide expert legal and technical submissions on the Constitutional obligations of the state and local government to protect the environment and promote a transition from coal-fired power to renewable energy. The application includes supporting affidavits and several annexed reports detailing the health, environmental, and economic impacts of coal-fired electricity generation in South Africa, as well as the feasibility of a low-carbon energy transition.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyses the evolution of climate and energy cooperation between China and Africa within the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). It tracks the shift from large-scale infrastructure and resource extraction projects toward "small and beautiful" green initiatives, while assessing how China's commitments align with Africa's strategic priorities for a just energy transition and climate resilience ahead of the September 2024 FOCAC summit.

This fact sheet describes the proposed South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM), a short-term trading platform for bulk electricity designed to introduce competition into the energy sector. It outlines the role of the Market Operator, the regulatory oversight of NERSA, and the potential impacts on electricity pricing, renewable energy transition, and municipal operations.

This policy brief examines the intersection of mining, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), and the transition to a low-carbon circular economy, using South Africa as a primary case study. It argues that while a low-carbon future requires increased mineral extraction, this must be decoupled from environmental degradation through green industrialisation and technological innovation.

This briefing by Friends of the Earth International argues that the pursuit of 'dirty energy'—including fossil fuels, nuclear power, and megadams—is causing severe environmental and social harm across Africa while failing to resolve energy poverty. The document highlights specific case studies of destructive energy projects in South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, and Mozambique, and calls for a transition toward community-controlled renewable energy and 'energy sovereignty'.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the role of state-owned power companies (SPCs) in driving clean energy transitions within emerging markets and developing economies, featuring case studies from India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Viet Nam.

This research paper examines the tension between South Africa's developmental goals and its climate change commitments, highlighting the country's heavy reliance on coal for electricity and the challenges of transitioning to a lower-carbon economy while addressing poverty and energy shortages.

This report by WWF South Africa examines the potential and progress of renewable energy (RE) in South Africa, focusing on the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REI4P) and the challenges posed by the state utility Eskom's dominance and the country's historical dependence on coal.

This briefing outlines Outcome 3 of the WWF South Africa Strategy 2025, focusing on the transition to a carbon-neutral and climate-resilient economy through systems-level interventions and stakeholder collaboration.