North west: The global shift toward a future powered by green energy solutions must be fair and equitable, safeguarding workers, protecting vulnerable communities, and ensuring that no nation is excluded from the benefits of a sustainable future. This was the message from Electricity and Energy Minister Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa during his opening remarks at the third G20 Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG) meeting held in the North West.
According to South African Government News Agency, Minister Ramokgopa emphasized the importance of finance as a tool of inclusion, not a barrier to participation. He stressed that the credibility of the global transition hinges on whether financial resources reach the areas where they are most needed, at the scale required, and with the speed necessary to meet development and climate goals. The Minister highlighted the social aspects of energy transition, stating that these transitions must not deepen inequality but rather reduce it, ensuring no community, worker, or country is left behind.
He further noted that energy transitions would not be sustainable without a fundamental reconfiguration of the global energy finance architecture. Scaling up climate and energy finance is urgent and central to closing the infrastructure gap, addressing energy poverty, and driving structural transformation and industrialization. Ramokgopa outlined several key requirements, including addressing underinvestment in transmission and distribution, structuring finance for long-term affordability for vulnerable communities, and establishing mechanisms to attract private capital while maintaining public oversight.
The Minister acknowledged the pivotal role of green energy solutions in decarbonizing economies but cautioned that renewables alone cannot meet all systems requirements. He advocated for a pragmatic, technology-inclusive approach that considers technical and economic realities, supports decarbonization, and aligns with development objectives. This approach includes technologies like carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), small modular reactors, and demand-side tools to balance load and optimize operations.
Ramokgopa urged G20 countries to enhance cooperation in technology development, expand knowledge exchange, and support capacity building in areas such as carbon storage and CCUS deployment. He highlighted Africa's decarbonization ambitions within the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the Africa Energy Efficiency Strategy, which aims to increase energy productivity by 50% by 2050.
On a global scale, the Minister underscored the ongoing challenge of lack of access to modern energy services, with over 760 million people living without electricity and more than 2.6 billion relying on unsafe fuels for cooking. He called on the working group to further develop the agenda for clean cooking solutions and accelerate access to these solutions at scale.