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The South Africa’s Low-Emission Development Strategy (SA LEDS) 2050 is a strategic framework designed to transition South Africa to a low-carbon growth path by 2050. It aligns national policies with the Paris Agreement and the country's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), focusing on a 'peak, plateau and decline' emissions trajectory. The strategy outlines sectoral measures for energy, industry, agriculture, forestry, and waste, while emphasizing a 'Just Transition' to ensure socio-economic upliftment and job security during the shift away from fossil fuels.

South Africa's 2nd Biennial Update Report (BUR-2) provides a comprehensive overview of the country's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2000 to 2012, its mitigation strategies, and the financial and technical support received to transition toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy by 2030.

This policy brief by the African Climate Foundation examines how African nations can leverage renewable energy transitions and regional electricity market integration to drive industrialisation. It highlights the potential of the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to overcome national energy deficits and create a sustainable development pathway through 'green industrialisation'.

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.

This statement, submitted by the Life after Coal Campaign (LAC) and the Fair Finance Coalition Southern Africa (FFCSA) to the Presidential Climate Commission, provides critical comments on South Africa's Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP). The authors argue that the plan is overly skewed toward private sector interests and large-scale infrastructure, specifically green hydrogen, while neglecting social ownership models, local manufacturing, and the urgent needs of coal-affected communities.

This policy brief examines the tension between fossil fuel development and renewable energy transitions in Africa, highlighting the geopolitical competition between China's Belt and Road Initiative and the EU's 'green transitions' strategy. It argues that for the EU to effectively partner with African nations, it must shift its framing from climate change to energy security and economic development, while promoting transparency and social innovation to avoid foreign exploitation and 'debt traps'.

This report by GreenCape examines the potential for industrial-scale solar thermal energy in South Africa, specifically focusing on the agri-processing and textile industries. It identifies these sectors as high-opportunity areas due to their requirement for low-temperature heat (below 160 °C). While South Africa possesses high solar irradiation, the report notes that the solar thermal market is currently an 'infant industry' characterized by high capital costs, a lack of skilled installers, and restrictive certification policies. The document provides quantitative estimates of energy and carbon savings potential, analyzes financial drivers and barriers, and offers recommendations for policymakers and industry stakeholders to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to solar heat.

The South African Youth Statement, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs, outlines a comprehensive set of recommendations for climate action ahead of COP28. The document advocates for climate justice, intersectional approaches to protect marginalised groups, and a fundamental reform of global climate finance to support the Global South. It calls for a just energy transition in South Africa, the recognition of climate migrants under international law, and the transformation of food systems to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

This policy brief argues for a strategic AU-EU partnership to facilitate sustainable energy transitions, emphasizing that such cooperation can provide Africa with increased energy access and jobs while helping the EU meet its carbon neutrality goals. It highlights the need for diplomatic sensitivity, tailored incentives, and a focus on 'just transitions' to ensure that fossil-fuel-dependent African nations are not unfairly penalized by European climate standards.

A letter from the Centre for Environmental Rights, on behalf of Fair Finance Southern Africa (FFSA), requesting information from Standard Chartered Bank regarding its role in financing Karpowership South Africa. The letter highlights environmental concerns, legal challenges, and potential contradictions with the bank's net-zero commitments.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) provides an initial analysis of South Africa's Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP), released on 4 November 2022. The IEJ argues that the plan relies too heavily on private finance and loans, which risks increasing national debt, exacerbating energy poverty through 'cost reflective' tariffs, and failing to provide adequate social security for workers in the coal sector.

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 discussion document outlines South Africa's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) as of August 2015, detailing the country's planned approach to climate change adaptation and mitigation. The document emphasizes a 'peak, plateau and decline' emissions trajectory and stresses that climate action must be balanced with the national priority of eliminating poverty and inequality by 2030.

This policy brief by WWF South Africa examines the intersection of the Just Energy Transition (JET) and the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus. It argues that South Africa's pursuit of a low-carbon economy is hindered by policy incoherence, where energy, water, and food security goals are pursued in isolation. The document identifies institutional silos, political contestation from the coal lobby, and budget cuts to environmental agencies as primary barriers to achieving a sustainable and equitable transition.

The Life After Coal campaign, consisting of groundWork, Earthlife Africa, and the Centre for Environmental Rights, issued a statement calling on South Africa to meet the lower bound of its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target range by accelerating the coal phase-out and renewable energy expansion. The campaign urges the South African government to lead developing nations at COP26 in demanding increased financial support from wealthy nations for adaptation and loss and damage.

This report analyzes energy subsidies in South Africa for financial year (FY) 2025, finding that they totaled at least ZAR 198 billion (USD 10.8 billion). The analysis highlights a heavy reliance on fossil fuel subsidies, significant financial bailouts for the state-owned power company Eskom, and inefficiencies in the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) policy. The document recommends a comprehensive action plan for subsidy reform, a financial recovery plan for Eskom, and a redesign of the carbon tax and liquid fuel subsidies to better support low-income households and the energy transition.

This report by the Centre for Environmental Rights examines the risks and financing of onshore gas extraction in South Africa, focusing on the Mpumalanga Gas Project and the Virginia gas field. It critiques the government's positioning of gas as a 'transition fuel' and highlights significant environmental, financial, and transparency concerns.

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 document discusses the role of established and emergent gas producers in Africa, noting the potential for revenue growth due to global supply constraints caused by the war in Ukraine, while warning of the high risk of stranded assets as the world moves toward net-zero emissions.

This research paper introduces a project by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) focused on the 'just transition' in South Africa and Brazil. It examines the need to reconcile climate action with economic development, specifically focusing on protecting vulnerable populations and addressing extreme inequality while shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy.