SAfrica's coal dependency puts economy at risk: report

South Africa is 1 of the largest polluters successful the satellite and generates astir 80 percent of its energy done coal. Photo: GUILLEM SARTORIO / AFP/File
Source: AFP

South Africa's coal-dependent economy could suffer billions successful export gross and thousands of jobs arsenic much countries and companies question carbon-free imports, the Net Zero Tracker watchdog said Monday.

Africa's astir industrialised federation is 1 of the largest polluters successful the satellite and generates astir 80 percent of its energy done coal.

This makes it "uniquely vulnerable" arsenic companies decarbonise their proviso chains and countries penalise carbon-intensive imports, according to the group, a collaboration of 4 non-profit organisations that tracks nett zero pledges.

"78 percent of South Africa's exports, worthy $135 billion, are traded with 139 jurisdictions which person nett zero targets successful place. Collectively, these exports enactment implicit 1.2 cardinal home jobs," the study said.

If the state fails to decarbonise its proviso chains, it could suffer immoderate of that commercialized and related jobs, it said.

The radical said South Africa could debar this script by phasing retired ember much rapidly and positioning itself arsenic a "strategic supplier successful low-emission worth chains".

"South Africa has the tools to pivot -- proven renewables potential, captious minerals, and seats astatine planetary tables," said Net Zero Tracker task pb John Lang.

The study argued that South Africa was "well-positioned to go a cardinal supplier of low-emission goods".

One of the driving forces down the decarbonisation propulsion is the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs).

Adopted successful 2022, the argumentation imposes a c terms connected imports of goods specified arsenic steel, aluminium and cement from countries with little biology standards.

A trial play began successful October 2023 earlier the law's afloat introduction into unit successful 2026.

The South African Reserve Bank has warned that carbon-based tariffs could trim exports by up to 10 percent and that CBAMs unsocial could shrink exports to the EU by 4 percent by 2030.

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Source: AFP