Ramaphosa calls for public comments on SA’s just energy transition investment plan

President Cyril Ramaphosa has asked the public to weigh in on SA's ambitious just energy transition investment plan. 

He made the call during a virtual presidential climate commission (PCC) special sitting on Friday ahead of the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) taking place in Sharm El Sheikh from Sunday.

During the sitting Ramaphosa announced the government has released the country’s ambitious just transition investment plan for discussion.

“As was the case with the investment plan, the implementation plan will be led by the South African government and our social partners. It will be developed in accordance with our self-determined climate policy goals as outlined in our NDC, so as to ensure a structured, phased and well-sequenced transition process,” said Ramaphosa.

He said ensuring the transition was “just and fair” has remained at the centre of the government’s agenda.

The gathering comes at a time when the country is grappling with an electricity shortfall, high levels of unemployment and urgent threat of climate change.

“The effects of which we are already experiencing in SA in that we continue to face all of the calamities that are given rise by climate change. In the east of our country we have continuous flooding that destroys public infrastructure, homes and businesses.”

While on the western side of the country, he said there were continuous droughts.

“This plan outlines the scale of need and investments that will be required to achieve our decarbonisation commitments. And to do so while promoting sustainable development and ensuring a just transition for our country and in particular for our people who are going to be directly impacted by the plan.”

The just transition must also speak to the social and economic aspects in the country.

“The plan, which we will be releasing for discussions provides us with a blueprint to address these three challenges recognising that they are inseparable,” he said.

The plan, put together by some of the brightest minds in SA, includes a portfolio of investments in the electricity sector, green hydrogen sector, new energy vehicles as well as initiatives to ensure a just transition.

The framework stresses that communities must share in the benefits of the climate transition and the creation of new industries, sectors and jobs, said Ramaphosa.

He said more investment will be needed for the transmission and distribution networks in areas such as the Northern Cape.

The investment plan, a first of its kind globally in both scale and ambition, provides a vision of a future SA which is a leading player in a new low carbon economy.

To achieve the priorities set out in the plan will require substantial support from developed economies as part of their global financing obligations, he said.

“The plan makes it clear that the scale of funding that is required to achieve our country’s ambition is significantly higher than the funding that has been offered through the just energy transition partnership.”

Ramaphosa said the government was working with international partners to identify additional funding and financing to meet the country’s outstanding needs.

“I will be communicating with the leaders of the US, UK, Germany and France to garner additional grant funding to support our plan.”

In canvassing the world leaders Ramaphosa said he was mindful of the obligation to hold developed economies accountable by making sure they honour the financial commitments they undertook in the Paris agreement to donate $100bn annually to the climate transition in developed economies.

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