Yesterday 19 October, Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa presented South Africa’s R2-trillion Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to the media, stating that fossil fuels will continue to play a role as the country transitions to cleaner energy sources such as solar and wind. However, The Green Connection is concerned with this approach, arguing that a credible phase-out of fossil fuels must be clearly reflected in the plan. This means no new investments in oil, gas and coal.
According to Liz McDaid, Strategic Lead at The Green Connection, “The Minister introduced the country’s electricity plan, the IRP during a media briefing. Unfortunately, the full document was not made available, and it appears the gazetted version will only be released at the end of the week.”
“The presentation itself was confusing. While it claims to focus on emission reductions and affordability, it seems to include significant allocations to gas-to-power and nuclear, both of which raise major concerns. Gas is harmful to the climate (it releases methane, which is up to 80 times more potent than CO₂ in terms of short‐term warming), and new nuclear could make electricity prohibitively expensive for South African consumers,” says The Green Connection’s Community Outreach Co-ordinator at, Neville van Rooy.
McDaid adds, “Although the inclusion of more renewable energy and storage is positive, it is worrying that no clear price path was presented. For years, government has announced large-scale energy infrastructure projects without sufficient clarity on who will ultimately bear the cost. As electricity consumers, we should all be very concerned about the implications of this plan.”
Once the full IRP is released later this week, The Green Connection will analyse the details and provide a more comprehensive response.
BENDING OVER BACKWARDS, DMRE GIVES KARPOWERSHIPS ANOTHER BREAK
30 September 2021 was supposed to be the commercial close – a date set by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) – for bidders in the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (RMI4P).
TOSACO EIA MET WITH PUSHBACK FROM CIVIL SOCIETY, TO PROTECT THE OCEAN AND SMALL-SCALE FISHER LIVELIHOODS
This week, The Green Connection submitted its comments critiquing several aspects of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, particularly the lack of procedural fairness, as well as the conclusions reached – notwithstanding information gaps and scientific uncertainty – that should form part Tosaco Energy’s request to undertake various activities in Block 1, off the West Coast.
RECENTLY GRADUATED GREEN CONNECTORS, EQUIPPED FOR THE POLLS AND READY TO WEIGH-IN ON COP26
Following their recent graduation from The Green Connection’s Legacy Champions Programme, these newly empowered Green Connectors say they feel equipped with the necessary advocacy skills to make positive changes in their communities, starting with their vote in the local elections (1 November) and weighing in on the discussions around COP26 (which starts on 31 October) – as part of their efforts to oppose oil and gas developments in the country and offshore.
GREEN CONNECTION’S ‘FUNERAL FOR THE CLIMATE’ (AFRICAN ENERGY WEEK) AND COMMENT ON YESTERDAY’S BUDGET SPEECH
This week (10 November 2021), we joined other environmental defenders in Cape Town to peacefully demonstrate outside the African Energy Week #AEW2021 conference venue demanding an end to fossil fuels and the immediate pivot toward the just transition to a renewable energy future.
CLOSE TO 200 PEOPLE RISE AT CRACK OF DAWN TO PROTEST THE ARRIVAL OF SHELL’S SEISMIC MONSTER, AMAZON WARRIOR
On Sunday morning, (21 November 2021), before the crack of dawn, nearly 200 concerned environmental defenders took to the Waterfront to get a glimpse of Shell’s seismic testing vessel, Amazon Warrior, as it made its way into Cape Town harbour. The vessel travelled down the West coast of Africa, on its way to the Wild Coast, to conduct seismic surveys for an estimated five (5) months.
ENVIRONMENTALISTS DOUBLE-UP ON EFFORTS TO OPPOSE UPCOMING AND FURTHER SEISMIC TESTING IN SOUTH AFRICA’S OCEANS
As the groundswell of opposition against Shell’s upcoming 3D seismic survey off the Transkei builds, the Green Connection – an ecojustice NGO that supports small-scale fishers in advocating for their livelihoods – reacted with astonishment to a press statement issued by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) on 9 December 2021.