Just transition insights from Mpumalanga, South Africa
1. WHEN THE SUN RISES
WE WORK HARD TO DELIVER
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL
AFFAIRS
International Forum for Coal Regions in Transition
26-27 0CTOBER 2023
2.
3. Presentation Outline
• Just Transition Milestones
• Introduction
– Mpumalanga population
– Local Economic Dependence
– Local Employment
• Mpumalanga Just Transition Phase One Plan
• Just Transition Landscape
• Climate Technologies
• Concerns
• Key Lessons
• What we need to do
• Stakeholder Consultations
• Interventions
3
4. National Climate
Change Bill, 2023
(Voted in favour)
National
Employment
Vulnerability
Assessment, 2018
Sector Job
Resilience Plan,
2018
National
Carbon Tax,
2019
National
Mpumalanga
Climate Change
Mitigation Strategy,
2020
Draft Green
Hydrogen
Commercializatio
n Strategy, 2023
Draft Steve Tshwete
Local Just Transition
and Resilient
Economy Roadmap
, 2023
Establishment of
Green Economy
Cluster , 2021
National Just
transition Framework
and Draft
Implementation
Plan, 2022
Municipality
Provincial
Establishment of
Presidential Climate
Change Commission
, 2020
National Just
Energy Transition
Framework, 2022
Draft Provincial
Infrastructure Master
Plan, 2023
Mpumalanga
Reconciliation
recovery Plan
Draft Renewable
Master Plan, 2023
Review of
Integrated
Resource Plan,
2023
Draft District Just
Transition Rapid
Assessment Report,
2021
JT Project
Management
Unit , 2023
Just Energy Transition
Investment Plan
(JETIP), 2022
Mpumalanga Just
Transition Phase One
Plan, 2023
Emalahleni Local
Municipality Climate
Change Response
Strategy2021
JUST TRANSITION MILESTONES
National
Determined
Contributions,
2021
South African
Low Emission
Strategy, 2020
5. Mpumalanga is a hotspot for Just Transition
Energy and Mining sectors
Mpumalanga is a home of eleven coal-fired power stations ( one repurpose ) and number of coal mines
• 85% by volume of the coal used in the local market is mined in MP
• 86% of electricity is produce in MP
• Eight power stations will be decommissioned by 2030
GHG and Air Quality
• 50% of South Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions from MP
• Contribution to total emissions of SO2 and NOX (MP industrial complex contributes the highest % in the
country emission profile)
• Open Cast mining ( PM10) contribute high % in the country's profile
• Ground level O3 is very high in the Province
Ecosystem /Biodiversity
• Only 52% of the Gert Sibande District, 49.3% of the Nkangala District and 76% of the Ehlanzeni District are
still considered natural
• Degradation of Ecological Infrastructure
• Spatial Biodiversity priorities vs other forms of land use and development planning
Land and water pollution
• Land degradation due to other unplanned development/abandon mines
• Industrialization and urbanization
Regional Economy
• Highly reliance and dependency on energy and mining sectors
• Youth Unemployment
INTRODUCTION
7. The transition is here - how do we make sure it is just and fair?
Power
station
IRP 2019
retirement first
unit date
Local
municipality
District
municipality
Grootvlei 2018 Dipaleseng Gert Sibande
Hendrina 2020 Steve
Tshwete
Nkangala
Komati 2019
(Repurpose)
Steve
Tshwete
Nkangala
Camden 2020 Msukaligwa Gert Sibande
Arnot 2021 Steve
Tshwete
Nkangala
Kriel 2026 Emalahleni Nkangala
Matla 2029 Emalahleni Nkangala
Duvha 2030 Emalahleni Nkangala
Tutuka 2035 Lekwa Gert Sibande
Kendal 2038 Emalahleni Nkangala
Majuba 2046 Pixley ka
Seme
Gert Sibande
Kusile Post-2050 Victor
Khanye
Nkangala
10. 10
JUST TRANSITION PHASE ONE PLAN
• Communication and awareness programs
• Consultation Engagements
• Capacity and Capabilities of stakeholder
• Climate Change Forum and other
Working Groups and fora
Focal Areas Components
1. Protecting livelihoods
and creating decent
work
Skill Development and audit, Sustainable/Decent Jobs, security and
stability, labour market, remunerations, injustice and inequality
2. Economic
diversification
Collaborations and partnerships, economic resilience, cost benefit,
Income, emerging businesses
3. Social protection Safety Net, social infrastructure, skill and information management
security , adaptive capacity and resilience
4. Service delivery Climate proof infrastructure and technologies, policy readiness and
public service performance
5. Environmental
Regeneration and
Protection
Reduction of GHG Emissions, environmental (air, land, water pollution)
sustainability, ecosystem and biodiversity
Social dialogue Governance
• Risks and opportunities
• M & E
• Accountability and transparency
• Focal points
BUILD RESILIENCE, GHG REDUCTION AND VULNERABILITY, RIGHTS,
JUSTICE TO TRANSITION WITH DIGNITY, (SHARING AND BENEFITS)
11. Just Transition Landscape
Just Transition - an integrated approach to achieving procedural, redistributive and
restorative justice
Source: Modified : CSIR & DARDLEA, 2022
Economic
Effects :
• Green Economy
• Economic
growth
• Decent and
sustainable
Jobs
• Local Enterprise
development
• Ownership
Technical and
Cost Effects:
•Energy Technology
costs and
performance
•Decommissioning
Power stations
•Mine Closure
•Impacts on
electricity tariffs
•Grid stability and
reliability/Infrastru
cture
Governance:
•Climate Change
Mitigation and
Adaptation
•Collaboration and
Cooperation
Partnerships and
Participation
•Skills Development
•Environmental
Protection
•Urban Land Use
Planning and
Management
•Funding and
financing
•Economic
diversification
•Research and
Development
•Public Sector
Performance
Social Effects:
•Labour Migration
•Disturbance of
livelihoods and
quality of life
•Human Health
Impacts
•Social Protection
and Service
Delivery
•Population Rise
•Community
participation
•Crime
Environmental
Effects:
•GHG Emissions
•Loss of Biodiversity
•Water Pollution –
AMD
•Water use
•Land Degradation
and restoration
JUST TRANSITION LANDSCAPE
12. 12
Mpumalanga Just Transition Working Group
Indicative Structure: effective multi-stakeholder,
multi-level adaptive governance of the just
transition in Mpumalanga Province
Convening partners (Oversight
committee):
MP Premier
DARDLEA MEC/HOD
DEDT MEC/HOD
Representation from each of
District Municipal Governments
Working group secretariate comprised of officials from the Office of
the Premier, DARDLEA and DEDT, and the. Responsibilities would
include:
Facilitate goal-setting and theories of change
Developmental monitoring, evaluation and learning
Track risks and opportunities
Coordinate multi-stakeholder technical task teams;
Seek and engage funders (donors and finance);
Engage stakeholders (e.g. communities, workers and private
sector);
Thematic task teams:
Structured according to just transition priorities focus areas
(max of five selected through planning process)
Representation from relevant National, Provincial, District
,and Local government, private sector, SOEs, Civil
Society with a mandate and resources to implement
actions (not a consultation forum, therefore not
representative of interests but rather implementation)
Each with a coordination lead
Tasked with developing and driving implementation of an
action plan
Report progress, challenges, risks and opportunities to the
secretariat
External support and
expertise, including:
National Just
Transition Task
Team
Presidential Climate
Commission
Sector Departments
Researchers
Advisory support
Mpumalanga Green
Economy Cluster
Academia
Provincial stakeholder consultations:
Broad representation from all provincial
just transition stakeholders, including:
• Government
• Research and Academia
institutions and sector agencies
and associations
• Coal Industry and associated
sectors
• Other Industry
• Civil society
• Labour Organizations
• Traditional Leaders
• Development agencies and donors
Mpumalanga Just Transition and Climate Change Working Group Indicative Structure:
effective multi-stakeholder, multi-level adaptive governance of the just transition in
Mpumalanga Province
13. 13
Climate
Technologies
Circular Economy and Sustainable Agriculture
Nature Based Solutions/Ecosystem based
Adaptation and Eco-Tourism
Carbon Removal and Storage
Green Hydrogen/ E-mobility
Water Treatment and Green Building
Technologies
Renewable Energy
Sustainable Aviation Fuel
14. Concerns
• Definition of Just transition (What is “Just” about
Just transition)
• Focus more on Power stations vs Coal Value Chain
• More on Just Energy Transition (JET) rather than
Just Transition
• More on Just Transition rather than Climate
Change
• Limited Economic Diversification
• Municipal Policy readiness
• Gender –Coal Regions- Black to Green Economy
• Overnight transition- need proper long term
planning
• Labour Organization’s representation
• Detailed Cost Benefit Analysis (Coal vs RE)
• Mismatch of High Learning Programmes
• All working without common goal
15. What
we
need
to do
• Provincial and Local Clear Policy
Framework and Implementation
(accountability)
• Funding Model and coordination
• Capacity/Capabilities /Mentoring
• Social Dialogues/ Stakeholder
Engagement ( inclusivity)
• Social Protection Plan
• Skill Development Programme
• JT Pilot Projects
• Assessment of all Climate Technologies
• Monitoring Verification and Reporting and
Evaluation
19. INTERVENTIONS
Just Transition to a Decarbonized
Economy for South Africa (JUST
SA), supporting a Just Transition
on all levels
Donor: International Climate Initiative (IKI) - German
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate
Action (BMWK)
Political Partner: Department of Forestry, Fisheries
and the Environment (DFFE)
Objective: Support the implementation of pathways
towards a Just Transition towards an environmentally
sustainable, climate-change resilient, low-carbon
economy and just society.
Country: South Africa
Project duration: 5 years
JUST SA is active on all levels
