Today is international World Environment Day, and what better way to celebrate than with the launch of an updated strategy for powering the planet with clean, reliable, renewable energy!
The latest version of Greenpeace’s Energy [R]evolution scenario outlines how renewable energy technologies could provide more than 90% of global electricity and heating, and more than 70% of our transportation needs by 2050.
It shows how today we already have the technology available to completely eliminate fossil fuels from the electricity sector by 2050. With the right support, global wind power generation alone could provide about 12% of the world’s electricity.
But, in order for renewables to reach their full potential, governments need to act: on climate change, on air pollution, and they must stop subsidizing the fossil fuel industry.
What does this blueprint mean for South Africa?
An Energy [R]evolution will require large scale expansion of renewable energy, which will help to reduce our carbon emissions, and stimulate South Africa’s economy.
A transition away from coal will open up new opportunities in skills development, manufacturing, and infrastructure development. A move towards renewable energy would also mean far more job creation than sticking with the government’s current energy plan.
The Advanced Energy [R]evolution provides us with an exciting, ambitious, and necessary blueprint for how emission reductions can be made in the energy and transport sectors, and how South Africa’s energy can be sustainably managed up to the middle of this century.
While the developed world scrambles for new oil sources in the Arctic, the main drivers for energy in South Africa remain the need for economic growth driven by an energy intensive industry. By implementing an energy revolution, South Africa has the opportunity to avoid the mistakes made by developed nations who powered their development through finite resources that are also driving climate change.
An energy revolution is about embracing the incredible opportunities that renewable energy has to offer – the job creation, energy security, reduced carbon emissions, and a brighter, more sustainable future.
Take Action: Tell government to double its renewable energy ambitions in South Africa.