South Africa tops the chart of countries who are still heavily reliant on coal, followed by China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam, this according to Visual Capitalist.
Today, the Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy, Dr Nobuhle Mkabayi, said the country is on track to diversify its energy mix, including solar, PV, Hydro, battery storage, coal and nuclear. She was speaking at the South African National Energy Development Institute’s (Sanedi) first Inaugural conference.
She said it is important to embrace all technologies, and not one over another.
She also said nuclear, oil and gas, are among greener technologies identified by an international organization (IEA).
SA is expected to scale down from 75% to 60% carbon emissions by 2030.
Just last week, a report by the UN Climate Change Commission, released a report that global efforts to limit carbon emissions globally, have fallen short of the target.
Findings suggest COP28 must set the stage for more immediate, almost an aggressive chase of targets, at all costs.
By 2030, emissions are projected to be 2%, below 2019 levels, highlighting that the peaking of global emissions will occur within this decade.
In order to achieve peaking of emissions before 2030, the report says, “the conditional elements of the NDCs need to be implemented, which depends mostly on access to enhanced financial resources, technology transfer and technical cooperation, and capacity-building support; as well as the availability of market-based mechanisms” said the Executive-Secretary of UN Climate Change, Simon Stiell.
Mkabayi did not seem to suggest otherwise.
She expressed concern for NGOs who are “blocking development” in a country with oil and gas reserves aplenty.
“Maybe the solution is to consult more with stakeholders, but, oil was found in Block 12B, shale gas and helium in Mpumalanga” she said, implying Government will continue to explore these resources, to grow GDP.
Chart below: Visual Capitalist
