In 2021, South African cities can turn crisis into opportunity for a just low carbon transition. Here’s how.
In 2000, when Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA) was founded, the role of cities in sustainable energy transitions and the scale of urban energy consumption were unknown. Twenty years later cities are recognised as crucial for transforming energy demand and emissions. We have tracked energy use in South African cities, as well as trends in energy efficiency, renewable energy uptake and the governance of this transition for over a decade, in the State of Energy in South African Cities reports. In 2021, we see cause for optimism.