Editor’s comment

MANAGING EDITOR Alastair Currie SENIOR JOURNALIST Kirsten Kelly JOURNALIST Nombulelo Manyana HEAD OF DESIGN Beren Bauermeister DESIGNER Jaclyn Dollenberg CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Tristan Snijders CONTRIBUTORS Leslie Hoy, Seydou Kane, Mpilo Mbambisa, Robert McCutcheon, Johan Muller, Gert Nel, Pieter Onderwater, Ivan Reutener, Bhavna Soni PRODUCTION & CLIENT LIAISON MANAGER Antois-Leigh Nepgen PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jacqueline Modise GROUP SALES MANAGER Chilomia Van Wijk BOOKKEEPER Tonya Hebenton DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Nomsa Masina DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Asha Pursotham SUBSCRIPTIONS subs@3smedia.co.za PRINTERS Novus Print Montague Gardens

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Net-zero transitions need collective buy-in

While environmentalists list green initiatives first on the sustainability agenda, the ways to achieve this are complex and interdependent on socio-economic conditions. In other words, the extent to which any country can transition to net-zero emissions targets hinges on having the funds and the community buy-in to achieve it. Every sector is affected – from agriculture to construction, mining and manufacturing – and the pressure is on with interventions like the Carbon Tax aimed at speeding up the process.

Within the energy mix, the World Coal Association (WCA) continues to argue the case for coal, stating that it currently remains the world’s single largest source of electricity, especially for grid power delivery. Even by 2040, the WCA predicts that it will still constitute around 22% of total global generation. Within emerging markets, like South East Asia, the 2040 forecast is around 40%.

Along the way, by-products like fly ash (a coal-fired waste product used as an additive by cement producers) are helping to reduce the carbon footprint and promote a circular economy.

Eventually, though, alternatives like green hydrogen and expanding renewable and nonrenewable sources (like waste-to-energy) will steadily displace coal to a greater or lesser extent. Certainly, more so over the shorter term within developed nations.

In South Africa, nuclear power is now also back on the table, with a proposal to procure some 2 500 MW of generation capacity. As stated by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, this “must be at an affordable pace and modular scale that the country can afford”.

Transportation and mobility

Affordability is the key ingredient to any sustainability initiative. A prime example is the electric vehicle (EV) market, which requires investment on a large scale to bring down the unit cost, plus it needs a solid infrastructure support network to make it viable.

Within the G7, the UK took a bold position towards the end of 2020, stating that it intends to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030. According to a UK government statement, some £1.3 billion (R25.8 billion) have been committed to date to fast-track the EV charging infrastructure across the country as part of a much broader investment plan to build the EV supply chain. Additionally, a new UK-government-backed app called EV8 Switch now aids prospective EV buyers in their selection, displaying statistics that show the cost benefits compared to conventional vehicles.

Subject to sourcing the necessary funding, rolling out a similar programme in South Africa would create thousands of new green jobs and reduce transportation costs. It would also bring down our emissions targets significantly.

However, a more immediate priority for South Africa is to implement a coherent public transport strategy that ties in with current and future spatial planning. Without government support, sectors like the taxi industry will struggle to transition. That needs to change because this sector is a vital part of South Africa’s overall sustainable transport plan, with millions of commuters involved.

Alastair

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