COP26 President in SA to reinforce support for Just Energy Transition

President of COP26, and Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom, Alok Sharma, is in the country and has met with the South African team on climate change in Pretoria. He has reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to the Just Energy Transition Partnership with the country.

Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan and @Eskom_SA GCEO Andrè de Ruyter hosting @COP26 President Alok Sharma and the UK High Commissioner to SA Antony Phillipson at Komati Power Station. #JET @DPE_ZA pic.twitter.com/MHo4fvGjWR

— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) June 20, 2022

The aim of the initiative, which is a long-term political agreement, is to accelerate the decarbonisation of South Africa’s economy, with a focus on bolstering the electricity system and moving away from coal-reliance. The implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership was announced at the COP26 conference last year.

Other partners to the initiative are the United States, France, Germany and the European Union who pledged an initial amount of $8.5 billion as a contribution towards financing South Africa’s long-term just transition process

The UK has also announced a further £1.5 million pounds funding for new technical assistance and partnerships, in supporting South Africa’s just energy transition.

In a press release from the UK government, it has been confirmed that Sharma will meet with key ministers from across the South African government and representatives from the South Africa Presidential Climate Finance Task Team assigned to deliver the Just Energy Transition Partnership. He will also meet with coal mining communities.

“The South African Just Energy Transition Partnership embodies the ambition we called for at COP26. This country-led approach puts fairness at the heart of the transition from coal to clean energy and will deliver high levels of finance and support to South Africa in achieving this ambitious transition. With less than six months before COP27, my visit is about demonstrating our continued support to South Africa to drive forward this commitment and build on key next steps,” says Sharma.

Sharma hopes the engagement with South Africa will yield positive results: