- European Leaders met with unions in South Africa’s coal hub to discuss the shift to renewable energy, facing scepticism from local leaders.
- A $11.6 billion package from countries like Denmark, Germany, and France aims to help South Africa transition from coal to solar and wind energy.
- Union leaders demand concrete commitments, fearing job losses in a sector that employs over 90,000 workers.
European Leaders met unions and officials on October 9 to ease concerns about South Africa’s shift from coal to renewable energy. The talks in Mpumalanga, South Africa’s coal hub, aimed to convince communities they won’t face economic collapse.
Union leaders in Emalahleni, meaning “the place of coal,” expressed scepticism despite promises of new clean energy jobs. “One meeting won’t persuade them,” said Denmark’s Ambassador Elsebeth Krone. Denmark joins an $11.6 billion package to help South Africa, one of the world’s top 15 polluters, move away from coal.
“Today showed just an example of how to begin this dialogue,” added Krone.
Germany, Britain, France, the US, and others fund the shift, urging South Africa to tap into its solar and wind resources. Climate Transparency, an environmental watchdog, says South Africa emits more greenhouse gases than the UK, France, or Italy due to its reliance on coal.
“The coal industry and its jobs won’t last,” said French Ambassador David Martinon, confirming that France will soon release another loan for the transition. “Coal will become a thing of the past.”
More than 90,000 people work in coal, not counting thousands more in related jobs. Union leaders voiced concerns about job losses. “We need practical commitments to ensure no one gets left behind,” said Collen Mahlangu, a leader from the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA)
Stine Leth Rasmussen, Deputy Director General of the Danish Energy Agency, pointed to Denmark’s success in turning its Esbjerg port from an oil hub into a wind energy centre as a model for South Africa.
The talks signal the start of a challenging journey to balance economic stability with environmental change.