Government unites on just energy transition partnership in bid to reduce carbon emissions

THE GOVERNMENT has decided to speak with one voice in support of the multibillion-dollar climate-finance deal by wealthy countries struck to urge South Africa to adopt a just energy transition in a bid to reduce carbon emissions.

This comes after the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, last month spoke out in support of prolonging coal-fired power generation, angering a section of renewable energy activists.

Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele yesterday said the Cabinet has welcomed the $8.5 billion (R135bn) Just Transition Partnership announced at the Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow two weeks ago.

The partnership was established by South Africa with France, Germany, the UK, the US and the EU to support the country’s financing needs in building its renewable energy arsenal.

The countries agreed to mobilise finance over the next three to five years through a range of instruments, including grants and concessional finance, to accelerate investment in renewable energy.

Gungubele dismissed suggestions that there was disagreement within Cabinet about the approach South Africa was adopting in its just energy transition and in accepting this deal. He said that in as far as accepting the offer, the Cabinet was unanimous in its meeting on Wednesday, and that Mantashe was in line with this.

“Everyone else’s concern is that there is a risk of pushing developing countries to run ahead of themselves and actually act in a manner that is detrimental to the vulnerable and the weak,” Gungubele said.

“The approach is that as we move from high carbon emission to low carbon emission, we move in a manner that makes sure that no South African falls through the cracks because of the reckless way in which we are doing it.

“All of us, in as far as that principle is concerned, we are in unison.”

Speaking at the Joburg Indaba virtual mining conference last month, Mantashe said Africa should be allowed to manage its transition away systematically and not rush a switch to renewable energy sources.

“I am not saying coal forever. I am saying let’s manage our transition step by step rather than being emotional,” he said. “We are not a developed economy, we don’t have all alternative sources.”

South Africa aims to reduce fossil fuel’s share (coal) of the energy mix to less than 60 percent by 2030 from around 75 percent, while increasing the share of wind and solar power to around 25 percent.

Gungubele’s assertions were supported yesterday by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who said the government would not enter into agreements that would be detrimental to the country’s own development path.

Responding to oral questions in the National Assembly yesterday, Ramaphosa said a significant proportion of funding offered by the international partner group countries was expected to be used for Eskom’s just transition plans.