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SOUTH AFRICA

How will South Africa spend $8.5bn pledged by West to wean it off coal?

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“Southern Africa: the tough path towards quitting coal”

SOUTHERN AFRICA

Southern Africa: the tough path towards quitting coal

The whole region of southern Africa, and especially South Africa, remains extremely dependent on coal mines, despite protests from environmentalists and pressure from the West in the form of billion-dollar subsidised plans to speed up the coal phase-out. The weighty state-owned Eskom, which has been embroiled in deep crisis for years, is making a tentative attempt to diversify. However, in a country where the sector's unions enjoy unparalleled influence within the state apparatus this is a daunting task. Neighbouring states are attune to this fact and are launching new projects to supply the regional giant's power plants. [...]

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaking remotely during COP26 on November 4, 2021. © South African Government/Twitter

South Africa has been promised massive funding to reduce and then eliminate its dependence on coal. But there are doubts about how exactly the money will be spent. [...] (366 words)

Issue dated 16/11/2021 Reading time 2 minutes

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How will South Africa spend $8.5bn pledged by West to wean it off coal?