This archive report was first published on 18 October 2019.
Published on October 18, 2019, South Africa's government has announced plans to increase its use of coal-fired energy, sparking widespread criticism from climate groups and opposition parties.
According to the Integrated Resource Plan, the country's energy production will increase by 1,500 megawatts from coal, 2,500 megawatts from hydro, 6,000 megawatts from solar, and 14,400 megawatts from wind over the next decade.
Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe unveiled the plan, stating that coal will continue to play a significant role in electricity generation, contributing 59 percent of the country's energy.
However, environmental groups such as Greenpeace Africa and the Life After Coal campaign have condemned the plan as 'dangerous, expensive, and unnecessary' in the face of existential climate change.
"Coal plants built in the 2020s will be scheduled to run well past any reasonable deadline for zero carbon emissions, and are likely to be abandoned as stranded assets long before they are paid off," the groups said in a statement.
The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, has also criticized the plan, stating that renewable energy is the future and South Africa cannot be left behind.
