Delaying emissions reduction will cost more down the line, climate commission director warns

Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) executive director Dr Crispian Olver says delaying South Africa’s transition away from coal will only add to the final adjustment costs and will also place the domestic business sector at a competitive disadvantage as other countries implement measures to restrict trade in carbon-intensive products. Speaking during a virtual event hosted by the Canadian High Commission this week on the role of the mining sector in the just energy transition, Olver said South Africa’s high energy and emissions intensity made it “extremely vulnerable” to measures such as the European Union’s upcoming Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.