The global energy transition is an example of a system that intersects a number of these issues: the limits of the planetary systems and the planetary boundaries we have come up against; the effects of climate change; the necessity of energy security for development; and the need to transition to new sustainable and just methods of production and consumption. [...] The bulk of the contextual assessment of the report examines the development challenges and opportunities that exist, with particular focus on the REIPPPP, renewables- led industrialisation, the importance of the national grid, the role of municipalities and finance, and the geopolitics of energy in the post-COVID-19 era, marked by the Russia–Ukraine war and the shift to a multipolar world. [...] The notion of a Just Energy Transition (JET) was incorporated into the Preamble of the Paris Agreement.4 The wording reflected the influence of the International Labour Organization: [T]aking into account the imperative of a Just Transition of the workforce and the creation of decent work and quality jobs in accordance with nationally defined development priorities. [...] The five alternative energy futures and the associated pathways are pivotal and require introspection and review, namely: 1) the role of the REIPPPP; 2) the aim for renewables-led industrialisation; 3) the importance of the grid; 4) the role of municipalities; and 5) the role of finance. [...] Beyond the absence of consistent policy for the REIPPPP, this period of disturbance and postponement triggered a broader nationwide dialogue about the country’s energy future, encompassing suitable mechanisms for procuring renewable energy and the necessity for contemporary and forward-looking energy policies.46 In the wake of the pivotal address by President Ramaphosa in July 2022, the sought-aft.
- Pages
- 49
- Published in
- South Africa
