Groundwork, a South African environmental justice organisation, aims to compel Eskom and the government to prioritise renewable energy following a pivotal High Court ruling against new coal-fired power. Picture: Supplied / Groundwork
Image: Groundwork
Groundwork, a non-profit environmental justice organisation working primarily in South Africa to improve the quality of life of vulnerable people, said its actions are meant to help strengthen Eskom and the government so that they will be forced to make plans for the new renewable clean energy.
This follows the North Gauteng High Court ruling against the South African government’s decision to procure 1,500 MW of new coal-fired power last month.
Known as the Cancel Coal case, it was launched by three civil society organisations – the youth-led African Climate Alliance (ACA), the community-based Highveld group, the Vukani Environmental Justice Movement in Action (VEM), and groundWork (gW) represented by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER).
Groundwork chair Bobby Peek said on Monday that although he disagreed with privatising renewable energy, the power utility Eskom must lead and work with municipalities and communities to establish socially owned renewable energy.
“This case is about Eskom not meeting emissions standards, which they agreed to in 2010 and knew about since 2004,” said Peek.
“If they meet emission standards, Eskom would avoid a projected 34,400 deaths from air pollution and economic costs of R620 billion ($41.7 billion). As SA, we will have better health and a better economy.”
In response, Eskom Media Desk said the government is responsible for energy and environmental policy, which Eskom and other participants in the electricity industry will implement.
“Eskom is not abandoning coal but simply running the plants to their end of life in line with the country’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions. The newer stations, for example, Medupi and Kusile, are expected to run to the 2060s and 2070s, respectively,” Eskom media desk replied.
“The new Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) that is anticipated will clear the path on what energy mix government has decided on, after the public participation and input on the draft IRP published in 2023.”
Groundwork is against coal burning, arguing that it is one of the most significant contributors to global climate change and unacceptable health impacts caused by air and water pollution.
The organisation added that, given the nature of the climate crisis and its intensifying impacts, children and future generations would bear the brunt of the climate harm caused by the ongoing burning of fossil fuels.
President of Transform RSA and an independent energy expert, Adli Nchabeleng, warned against the country’s plan to move away from fossil fuels, asserting that to plan robust economic growth ahead, the government needs coal to drive industrial growth, as other Asian countries are doing.
“To achieve higher economic growth rates, a substantial amount of electricity must be developed or made available in generation capacity to bolster economic growth,” he said.
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