# S.Africa says UK climate envoy to visit to discuss helping shift from coal Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-09-16 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: British Envoy to Visit South Africa Ahead of COP26 Talks on Meta Description: Learn about the upcoming visit of Britain's envoy to South Africa to discuss transitioning from coal to renewables before the COP26 climate talks. URL: https://financedigest.com/s-africa-says-uk-climate-envoy-to-visit-to-discuss-helping-shift-from-coalhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2021-09-16t094729z1lynxmpeh8f0esrtroptp4safrica-eskom-1736837856151-compressed.jpg) By Tim Cocks JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Britain’s envoy to the U.N. [Climate Change Conference](https://www.financedigest.com/one-minute-to-midnight-says-johnson-as-climate-conference-opens.html "“One minute to midnight” says Johnson as climate conference opens") plans to visit South Africa ahead of the November talks, a spokesman in Pretoria said, to discuss helping it end an over-reliance on coal that makes it one of the world’s leading carbon emitters. [South African](https://www.financedigest.com/south-african-citrus-growers-say-eu-pest-rules-putting-squeeze-on-exports.html "South African citrus growers say EU pest rules putting squeeze on exports") Environment Ministry spokesman Albi Modise said discussions involving British envoy John Murton would focus on cooperation in the transition from coal to renewables ahead of the COP26. Africa’s most industrialised nation uses [coal for 90% of its power](https://www.financedigest.com/back-to-black-germanys-coal-power-plan-hits-hurdles.html "Back to black? Germany’s coal power plan hits hurdles") needs. That has made it the world’s 14th largest carbon dioxide emitter – [pumping out 479 million](https://www.financedigest.com/sse-to-invest-122-million-in-scottish-pumped-hydro-project.html "SSE to invest 2 million in Scottish pumped hydro project") tonnes equivalent in 2019 – two places above Britain, an economy eight times as big. The developed economies have a responsibility to fund the Just Transition to a low carbon [economy and climate resilient](https://www.financedigest.com/stocks-dollar-gain-on-resilient-u-s-economy.html "Stocks, dollar gain on resilient U.S. economy") society,” Modise said. Eskom, the state power company and Africa’s single biggest greenhouse gas emitter, is pitching a $10 [billion plan to global lenders that would see it shut the vast majority of its coal-fired plants by 2050 and embrace renewable energy](https://www.financedigest.com/petrofac-hitachi-energy-receive-14-billion-agreement-from-tennet.html "Petrofac, Hitachi Energy receive billion agreement from TenneT"). South Africa’s government remains reluctant to give up coal altogether, which as well as [supplying power also provides more than 90,000 jobs](https://www.financedigest.com/best-paying-jobs-in-water-supply.html "Best Paying Jobs In Water Supply"), according to the latest data from South Africa’s Minerals Council. Eskom is heavily indebted and struggles to [keep the lights](https://www.financedigest.com/take-five-keeping-the-lights-on.html "Take Five: Keeping the lights on") on, with frequent power blackouts. Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, who has made no secret of supporting the [coal sector](https://www.financedigest.com/citi-pledges-to-cut-emissions-for-more-sectors-including-coal.html "Citi pledges to cut emissions for more sectors including coal"), has described giving it up as “economic suicide. But [President Cyril Ramaphosa is concerned that dragging its feet on the transition to renewables – South](https://www.financedigest.com/south-korea-has-not-supplied-lethal-weapons-to-ukraine-president-says.html "South Korea has not supplied lethal weapons to Ukraine, president says") Africa is blessed with plentiful sun and wind – could leave it shut out of global capital markets needed to harness these resources. In July, he warned of the risks South Africa faces from a rapidly decarbonising global economy and [called for international support to accelerate](https://www.financedigest.com/final-call-for-entries-to-tech-start-up-accelerator.html "FINAL CALL FOR ENTRIES TO TECH START-UP ACCELERATOR") the transition. A COP26 spokesman confirmed that senior UK [government COP26 representatives and international partners were expected to travel to South Africa in coming weeks for talks on a just energy](https://www.financedigest.com/european-governments-spend-half-a-trillion-euros-on-energy-crisis-report-2.html "European governments spend half a trillion euros on energy crisis – report") transition. Clyde Mallinson, a renewable energy consultant based in Johannesburg, said donors could get greater emissions reductions per dollar spent in South Africa than almost anywhere [else – because labour costs](https://www.financedigest.com/blessing-or-burden-what-else-could-you-buy-for-the-cost-of-your-timeshare.html "Blessing or burden? What else could you buy for the cost of your timeshare?") are low and power is so carbon-intensive. For every kilowatt hour of electricity you offset in [South Africa](https://www.financedigest.com/ancs-failed-foreign-policy-hurting-south-africa.html "ANC’s failed foreign policy hurting South Africa"), you get four or five times as much carbon reduction as you do in Europe,” he said. That’s a lot more [bang for your buck.”](https://www.financedigest.com/more-bang-for-your-buck-with-debenhams-credit-card.html "More Bang For Your Buck with Debenhams Credit Card") (Additional reporting by [Elizabeth Piper in London; Editing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo, Andrew Cawthorne and Nick Macfie)](https://www.financedigest.com/34315plane-carrying-coffin-of-queen-elizabeth-lands-in-london.html "Plane carrying coffin of Queen Elizabeth lands in London") --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---