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PHINDILE MASANGANE: SA’s road to net zero emissions will be via gas

By September 6, 2021Business
power-starved SA must go big on gas

International Energy Agency has acknowledged that there will be different paths to clean energy

Today the biggest threat to humanity is climate change, and the biggest threat to SA’s social stability is the high unemployment rate, which has primarily been caused by economic stagnation

As the global economy recovers from the devastating effects of Covid-19, demand for oil and gas has gone up significantly. If there was ever a need for proof that oil and gas still drive the global economy, recent statistics demonstrate the trend.

The world’s developed economies industrialised on the back of oil and gas production and use. Now, just as Africa is on the cusp of being a significant gas producer and is making plans to use such gas for power generation, industrialisation and economic growth, the negative effects of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment have become undeniable.

The urgency for action to mitigate the risk of climate change is no longer debatable. Between 1990 and 2018 the top five emitters have produced more than 50% of greenhouse gas emissions. During the same period, SA has contributed 1% to global emissions. This is by no measure insignificant, and as a responsible global citizen, SA must take steps to reduce its carbon footprint.

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