The African Climate Alliance (ACA) says a shift in the source of energy production in South Africa from coal to renewable energy sources could make the economy more resilient and help create jobs.
The organisation joined various other activists outside Parliament yesterday, as part of a global day of climate change protests, who say countries that rely heavily on fossil fuels that generate high levels of carbon emissions for power, can reduce pollution by shifting to green energy – like solar power and wind.
ACA’s Youth Organiser Gabriel Klaasen has called on the government to accelerate the development of renewable energy resources.
Klaasen says, “The minds of our government keep focussing towards fossil fuels. Coal is the future they say, we are the capital of coal. Coal is not the future, renewables is the future and the sooner that we move toward a just transition, the better for people. A just transition being an equitable and sustainably developed plan to move away from fossil fuel powers toward renewable energy that doesn’t leave anyone behind.”
Today is the day! Action for #climatejustice across South Africa and the world. ACA members around the country are gathering / have gathered to demand a better world. Despite the rain in Cape Town, protests will still be happening. Time to fight for System Change. ??✊?
— AFRICAN CLIMATE ALLIANCE (@AfrClimAlliance) September 25, 2020
Scenes from Cape Town Parliament today #GlobalDayOfClimateAction #systemchangenotclimatechange pic.twitter.com/iKL3LiT5Pr
— AFRICAN CLIMATE ALLIANCE (@AfrClimAlliance) September 25, 2020
Join hundreds of South African’s on this Friday, the 25th of September to demand climate justice, quality healthcare & basic income for all. Social distancing will be observed. Marches will be hosted in different cities. Find your city and RSVP here: https://t.co/7uMwoIF9N3 pic.twitter.com/qT36XSfr0Q
— Amandla! (@AmandlaMobi) September 23, 2020
Happening now
Fridays for Future Uganda climate activists have joined the #GlobalClimateStrike to demand for climate justice. #FightClimateInjustice#FridaysforFuture #SaveBugomaForest pic.twitter.com/YiVvFvlpED
— Fridays For Future Uganda (@Fridays4FutureU) September 25, 2020
The most vulnerable communities that are currently coping with the #COVID19 pandemic are the same ones that face the hardest impacts of climate breakdown. We can’t let things go back to business as usual. March in #Pretoria, #SouthAfrica#FightClimateInjustice #FridaysForFuture pic.twitter.com/qYJhwH6bII
— 350 Africa (@350Africa) September 25, 2020
