Opinion: Gas-to-power a wrong turn in South Africa’s energy transition

In this opinion article, Dr Jonty Cogger and Paul Wani Lado, attorneys at the Centre for Environmental Rights, argue that the ‘gas cliff’  should not be used as a justification for building large-scale gas-to-power infrastructure without fully assessing the risks and cost implications. South Africa is approaching what many call the “gas cliff”. By 2028, the country’s main supply of natural gas from Mozambique is expected to run out. This has triggered concern in government and industry circles, with calls for urgent investment in new gas infrastructure (pipelines, import terminals, regasification facilities and storage) to allow for the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG).