The Portfolio Committee on Energy (PCE) is hosting a public hearing on the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) on the 16th, 17th 23rd and 24th of October. Citizens should make use of this opportunity and raise their concern about South Africa’s current energy plan. The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), released by Energy Minister Jeff Radebe at the end of August 2018, is an improvement on the 2016 version, but is still inconsistent with a just and low-carbon development plan for South Africa.
We need to rapidly move away from fossil fuels for power generation which has negative effects on both human health and the environment along with their contribution to climate change from heavy greenhouse gas emissions. South Africa has an immense potential for solar and wind energy but the draft IRP plan limits the roll out of renewable energy, when we should be doing the opposite and moving as fast as we can to clean and green electricity sources. The shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy must also be done in a fair way, where principles of justice are applied to the transition. This means that workers in the fossil fuel sector must be empowered through skills and training programmes to take up employment elsewhere in the economy, and these opportunities must be guaranteed to them. For a Just Energy Transition, South Africa requires an energy plan that balances environmental responsibility with social justice as the IRP directly impacts both issues.
Project 90 by 2030 would like to invite you to attend the citizen hearings at Parliament where civil society organisations, communities, academics and businesses will speak up for the environment. Members of the public are also welcome to attend provided photo identification (ID document or drivers license) is shown.
Venues are within Parliament (120 Plein St, Cape Town) and the times are as follows:
16 and 17 October 2018: 10:00 – 17:00
IRP Programme Tuesday 16 October 2018
IRP Programme Wednesday 17 October 2018
23 and 24 October 2018: 10:00 – 13:00
Programme Tuesday 23 October 2018
IRP Programme Wednesday 24 October 2018
For more information, contact Gabriel Klaasen – email gabriel@90by2030.org.za.
Project 90 by 2030 is an environmental organisation that works with stakeholders to push for a Just Energy Transition in South Africa – a global ‘Just Transition’ movement that lobbies worldwide for energy democracy: accessible, affordable energy that empowers communities; a fundamental shift in the ownership of energy-generating technologies; and the compensation of workers who are likely to lose their jobs during an energy transition to sustainable, clean sources.
