On South Africa’s energy landscape, a vision is taking shape – to not just a move away from burning coal for power, but to do so in a way that creates opportunities for those with the most to lose.
In our experience, there are two key aspects of this process: the ongoing development and implementation of best practice in responsible coal mining; and contributing toward an understanding of needs to be met in a just transition to a less carbon-intensive future.
It has been over three years since Eskom announced the imminent closure of five of its coal-fired power stations. This was generally welcomed as one of the steps towards meeting the country’s environmental commitments as a signatory to the Paris Accord.
At the same time, however, this announcement gave new vigour to the concerns about the fate of workers and communities whose livelihood was dependent on the coal economy. It was clear that a ‘just transition’ would be the ideal route from a coal-intensive energy system to a low-carbon future.
SRK Contributors:
Andrew van Zyl, Norman McGeorge
