RICHARD WORTHINGTON: Time for SA to be more robust in climate response
Country’s credibility has suffered from limited policy implementation and obstruction of renewable energy development
08 August 2024 - 05:00
byRichard Worthington
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
SA has to be more resolute and assertive on climate change in the international arena, the writer says. Picture: 123RF
The president signing the Climate Change Act into law has been met with relief, coming six years after the draft was published to implement the National Climate Change Response Policy of 2011, which took six years to develop.
Relief also as some still want SA to treat climate change as somebody else’s problem to solve, arguing that emissions reduction has no place in our development planning and that regulation is against our national interests. The signing rejects such “second-order denialism” — not dismissing climate science, but denying either that we have a responsibility, or any agency, to keep planetary heating well below 2°C.
However, the steady trickle of incremental steps and presidential reassurances, such as aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050, is not sufficient to galvanise domestic investment or international climate finance, nor to improve our credibility in multilateral engagements. We have yet to hear of the proclamation required to bring the Climate Change Act into effect, or to see the substance in regulations.
SA’s credibility on climate has suffered from limited policy implementation, obstruction of renewable energy development from 2015, incompetence and corruption in fossil fuel supply chains and conflicting agendas being pursued by different players within the government — including the peddling of misinformation to support the narrative that our climate policy is a neocolonial imposition intended to stifle development.
The multi-stakeholder Presidential Climate Commission has just published “The state of climate action in SA” report, warning that while we should be developing our next, more ambitious, nationally determined contribution (NDC) to avoiding climate catastrophe, we are not on track to meet existing commitments.
The Presidential Climate Commission notes that “according to the government’s draft Sectoral Emissions Targets (SETs) report, the low target of the 2030 NDC (350 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent) could be achieved with more ambitious actions in the electricity and transport sectors. The report cautions, however, that if key policies — such as the 2019 [Integrated Resource Plan] with its prescribed electricity build and decommissioning plans — are not achieved, the 2030 target in the NDC may not be achieved. It notes shortfalls in coal plant closures reaching a total of 6,699MW in 2023, and a 5,200MW shortfall in planned renewable capacity.
Eskom’s group CEO told the Presidential Climate Commission in June that despite deciding to delay the closure of some coal-fired generation, Eskom is confident of achieving its emissions reduction target of 71 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent by 2030, bringing electricity sector emissions to 125 tonnes — sufficient to achieve our current NDC.
However, electricity & energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa recently told Reuters: “We have shared with the partners ... that we’ll not be able to meet those targets by 2030, highly unlikely” — despite recently declaring his aggressive approach to rolling out renewable energy.
In his July 29 press briefing, Ramokgopa acknowledged that the parameters of his ministry’s mandate have not yet been defined by the president. Reiterating commitment to renewables, he then related how most of the institutional arrangements for implementation are under some kind of review. Whether he is really pushing back against, or merely providing cover for, the fossil fuel plans of mineral & petroleum resources minister Gwede Mantashe (who is yet to hand over the energy department) remains to be seen.
A paper by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (January 2024) notes under “Overcoming the ‘co-ordination problem’ to restore energy security”, that “message indiscipline can lead to co-ordination failure and, ultimately, to policy failure”. Examples include: “The false message that load-shedding has been caused by an overemphasis on the just energy transition” and “that if the decommissioned Komati power station had been kept open this would have resulted in less load-shedding”.
We need our president to be more substantive and robust in his pronouncements and actions regarding both the energy system and the climate change response, and to show some sense of urgency of implementation, consistent with our Just Transition framework. It is beyond the reach of one minister to get the unity government aligned with our internationally declared NDC and the rapid elaboration of the legislation.
We also need our president to be more resolute and assertive in the international arena, particularly as SA holds the presidency of the Group of 20 process next year, requiring credible championing of national and regional interests, backed up by clear and consistent positioning by all organs of state.
President Cyril Ramaphosa now arguably has more power within the multiparty administration and after the breakaway of the MK party, to act decisively — to champion the interests of the majority of the people of Southern Africa and our prospects for sustainable development in a region undergoing double the global average rate of heating.
• Worthington is a freelance associate of the SA Faith Communities Environmental Institute.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
RICHARD WORTHINGTON: Time for SA to be more robust in climate response
Country’s credibility has suffered from limited policy implementation and obstruction of renewable energy development
The president signing the Climate Change Act into law has been met with relief, coming six years after the draft was published to implement the National Climate Change Response Policy of 2011, which took six years to develop.
Relief also as some still want SA to treat climate change as somebody else’s problem to solve, arguing that emissions reduction has no place in our development planning and that regulation is against our national interests. The signing rejects such “second-order denialism” — not dismissing climate science, but denying either that we have a responsibility, or any agency, to keep planetary heating well below 2°C.
However, the steady trickle of incremental steps and presidential reassurances, such as aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050, is not sufficient to galvanise domestic investment or international climate finance, nor to improve our credibility in multilateral engagements. We have yet to hear of the proclamation required to bring the Climate Change Act into effect, or to see the substance in regulations.
SA’s credibility on climate has suffered from limited policy implementation, obstruction of renewable energy development from 2015, incompetence and corruption in fossil fuel supply chains and conflicting agendas being pursued by different players within the government — including the peddling of misinformation to support the narrative that our climate policy is a neocolonial imposition intended to stifle development.
The multi-stakeholder Presidential Climate Commission has just published “The state of climate action in SA” report, warning that while we should be developing our next, more ambitious, nationally determined contribution (NDC) to avoiding climate catastrophe, we are not on track to meet existing commitments.
The Presidential Climate Commission notes that “according to the government’s draft Sectoral Emissions Targets (SETs) report, the low target of the 2030 NDC (350 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent) could be achieved with more ambitious actions in the electricity and transport sectors. The report cautions, however, that if key policies — such as the 2019 [Integrated Resource Plan] with its prescribed electricity build and decommissioning plans — are not achieved, the 2030 target in the NDC may not be achieved. It notes shortfalls in coal plant closures reaching a total of 6,699MW in 2023, and a 5,200MW shortfall in planned renewable capacity.
Eskom’s group CEO told the Presidential Climate Commission in June that despite deciding to delay the closure of some coal-fired generation, Eskom is confident of achieving its emissions reduction target of 71 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent by 2030, bringing electricity sector emissions to 125 tonnes — sufficient to achieve our current NDC.
However, electricity & energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa recently told Reuters: “We have shared with the partners ... that we’ll not be able to meet those targets by 2030, highly unlikely” — despite recently declaring his aggressive approach to rolling out renewable energy.
In his July 29 press briefing, Ramokgopa acknowledged that the parameters of his ministry’s mandate have not yet been defined by the president. Reiterating commitment to renewables, he then related how most of the institutional arrangements for implementation are under some kind of review. Whether he is really pushing back against, or merely providing cover for, the fossil fuel plans of mineral & petroleum resources minister Gwede Mantashe (who is yet to hand over the energy department) remains to be seen.
A paper by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (January 2024) notes under “Overcoming the ‘co-ordination problem’ to restore energy security”, that “message indiscipline can lead to co-ordination failure and, ultimately, to policy failure”. Examples include: “The false message that load-shedding has been caused by an overemphasis on the just energy transition” and “that if the decommissioned Komati power station had been kept open this would have resulted in less load-shedding”.
We need our president to be more substantive and robust in his pronouncements and actions regarding both the energy system and the climate change response, and to show some sense of urgency of implementation, consistent with our Just Transition framework. It is beyond the reach of one minister to get the unity government aligned with our internationally declared NDC and the rapid elaboration of the legislation.
We also need our president to be more resolute and assertive in the international arena, particularly as SA holds the presidency of the Group of 20 process next year, requiring credible championing of national and regional interests, backed up by clear and consistent positioning by all organs of state.
President Cyril Ramaphosa now arguably has more power within the multiparty administration and after the breakaway of the MK party, to act decisively — to champion the interests of the majority of the people of Southern Africa and our prospects for sustainable development in a region undergoing double the global average rate of heating.
• Worthington is a freelance associate of the SA Faith Communities Environmental Institute.
Changes to carbon offset regulations ‘a welcome development’
‘Gaps between SA’s energy and climate policies must be closed’
Progressive values and Dad jokes: Who is Harris’ running mate Tim Walz?
Helios raises $200m for Africa-focused climate fund
MICHAEL AVERY: Raising bank capital buffers could worsen climate change risk
Commission report calls out SA over tardy climate action
Ramaphosa signs Climate Change Bill into law
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Related Articles
Changes to carbon offset regulations ‘a welcome development’
NEWSMAKER | ‘Gaps between SA’s energy and climate policies must be closed’
Progressive values and Dad jokes: Who is Harris’ running mate Tim Walz?
Helios raises $200m for Africa-focused climate fund
MICHAEL AVERY: Raising bank capital buffers could worsen climate change risk
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.