SAIIA, UK PACT launch just transition project

29th March 2021 By: Tasneem Bulbulia - Senior Contributing Editor Online

Think tank the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) is launching a new project to support South Africa’s just transition to a low-carbon, inclusive and climate-resilient future.

Funded by the UK’s Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions programme in South Africa (South Africa-UK PACT), the year-long initiative will see a number of project partners coming together under a consortium led by SAIIA’s Futures programme.

The project will focus on how targeted skills training through the technical vocational education and training (TVET) college system in South Africa can be aligned with future job opportunities in the renewable energy sector, more specifically the green hydrogen economy, to improve job absorption rates.

Several workshops, evidence-based research papers, a pilot training assessment of TVET college students and policy dialogues with government, industry and civil partners are planned.

The project responds to climate change mitigation priorities of key South African government institutions, such as the Department of Science and Innovation, to support the roll-out of the Green Hydrogen Society Roadmap and the South Africa Renewable Energy Masterplan, SAIIA notes.

It adds that South Africa is well positioned to pursue green hydrogen technology owing to its vast reserves of platinum group metals resources.

The South Africa-UK PACT-funded project also aims to support the work of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, the South African National Energy Development Institute and the Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority.