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The Climate Question: Are South Africa’s blackouts a green turning point?

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26/03/2023 GMT

Are South Africa’s blackouts a green turning point?

BBC World Service - The Climate Question, Are South Africa’s blackouts a green turning point?

Will South Africa's electricity crisis accelerate its switch to renewable energy?

South Africa's government has an ambitious plan to wean itself off coal and switch to wind and solar power. Will this stop the blackouts that are currently crippling the country?

Worsening energy blackouts are crippling South Africa. They’re being caused in part by an over-reliance on ageing coal-fired power stations which can’t produce enough electricity. The government has an ambitious plan to rapidly build up solar and wind power by opening up the grid to private providers. But it’s facing opposition from the coal lobby.

Will this electricity crisis be the thing that finally pushes South Africa to implement its climate plan? And can it be implemented in a way that treats all South Africans equally, and doesn’t unfairly benefit a rich minority? 

Presenters Sophie Eastaugh and Luke Jones are joined by: 
Dr Nthabiseng Mohlakoana, expert in South Africa’s Just Energy transition, Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands 
Steve Nicholls, Head of Mitigation at the Presidential Climate Commission, South Africa’s 
Elna Schutz, freelance journalist who spoke to businesses in and around Johannesburg 

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com 

Producer: Laurence Knight 
Researcher: Matt Toulson 
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed 
Series Producer: Alex Lewis 
Editor: Richard Vadon
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

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