South Africa’s Just Energy Transition: Issues and Prospects

South Africa is the one of leading African economies and the one of the major global greenhouse gas emitters. Actively participating in international climate and energy frameworks, South Africa sets an ambitious goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The climate agenda is a sphere of crucial importance for South Africa due to explicit systemic vulnerabilities of the national economy in the face of expected changes. This article analyzes problems and prospects in achieving South Africaʼs climate policy goals, as well as the availability of resources necessary to achieve these goals. The analysis finds that South Africa does not possess the resources to achieve its climate goals. South Africa remains dependent on polluting fossil fuels, especially coal, due to enormous available natural deposits. Climate financing covers only a portion of necessary financial placing. In the long run, established international agreements may aggravate the countryʼs international debt problem. South Africaʼs leaders recognize the necessity of climate-related policy measures, but such measures cannot be characterized as the main drivers of the countryʼs development.