I was attending a meeting inside a mall when suddenly we were plunged into darkness as load shedding kicked in. The emergency electricity supply generators kicked in after a few minutes, allowing us to see again.
But when I tried to order a mochachino from the waiter amid chilly, winter weather, to my surprise the restaurant couldn’t take my order. I was told their coffee brewing machinery couldn’t work on the backup power as it drew too much power.
This is just one small example of how power failures in our beloved country cause mayhem and havoc to business and ordinary daily life.
Load shedding has led to most South Africans feeling the psychological fallout of being plunged into darkness, irritation just being one of those emotions. Despite this, as a country we have somehow normalised this constant insanity of power cuts.
Climate accord
And we need to talk about the elephant in the room. What most people don’t know is the root causes that triggered the return of load shedding and power cuts after 2015. It is no coincidence that this occurred after South Africa entered into a contract with the climate accord at the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference, famously known as the Conference of Parties (COP 21) serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP).
It was at that auspicious event that South Africa signed the climate accord agreement, represented by late minister Edna Molewa, who signed on behalf of South Africa. From then on South Africa became the global cheerleader in reducing emissions and tackling climate change. Today the country is paying the price for its ambitious goals to tackle the climate crisis challenge. And ever since the signing South Africa’s energy infrastructure went from great, to worse, to going downhill.
To debate whether the climate change crisis is real or not is not the focus of this column. What remains of concern is the issue of human impact on the issue of climate. Do we as humans, through our industrialisation processes, living a normal day-to- day life, contribute towards global emissions and greenhouse gasses?
The answer is yes, we humans contribute a significant quantity of emissions towards climate change and the global greenhouse emissions crisis. If so, who are the contributors to global CO2 pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions?
According to statistics, South Africa ranks among the 13th least polluters by emissions standards globally. The emissions chart reflects that among the top three emitters are China, the US and India with a combined 42% total GHG emissions. About 196 countries ratified or signed to join the Climate Change Accord and signed the Paris Climate Agreement.
However, anyone taking on a giant topic such as the climate change discussion, and speaking out of turn, does so at a great risk of being labelled a climate denier or sceptic. The green movement is highly intolerant towards criticism.
Once that label is attached to an individual’s profile it follows one everywhere. It is like a recognised global credit scoring. It can shorten one’s career or business prospects. So I am venturing into this topic with full awareness that I risk being cancelled or censored by the mainstream for taking on this debate and weighing facts against myths.
The global green lobby movement commands not only political power, but there is a vested monetary interest in going green and ending the use of fossil fuels. Even if that green technology is problematic, too much money is being invested, for an open debate to be welcomed.
As a society we have been quietly trained to never hold an intelligent debate, or speak out or discuss any contrary views against certain narratives. The global climate movement debate is one of them today.
However, I strive to present both sides of the story in a balanced, fair manner.
Green v carbon-rich:
The green versus carbon-rich energy debate is a very difficult discussion. What makes it difficult is that there are truths and valid facts at both ends of the debate spectrum and there are also lots of lies and misinformation.
It is true that today’s carbon-rich energy sources (coal, oil, gas) contribute towards environmental degradation and CO2 emissions.
We all know about the evils of the coal, oil and gas industry. Science proves that the rate for extraction of mineral resources used in carbon-rich fuel sources contributes and emits uncontrollable amounts of CO2 pollution into the atmosphere. That is an indisputable fact.
On the other hand, the transition away from carbon-rich fossil fuels energy requires that whatever materials used to fuel the transition has to be carbon neutral or carbon-free green energy materials.
To date, green energy resources are extracted from carbon-rich minerals (coal, oil, gas) material resources, which consume more than 10 times more resources and carbon-rich energy.
All renewable energy products (PV solar, wind, batteries, inverters, cables) are produced from fossil fuel energy intensive resources extracted from carbon-rich coal, oil and gas energy resources.
These resources are mined, processed, smelted, refined, manufactured and transported globally through ships and land transport.
However, more non-renewable minerals, resources and chemicals are required to produce the equivalent renewable green energy products to rival carbon-rich energy resources.
Nuclear energy is the ultimate zero emission green energy source as it meets all net zero emissions target goals. Somehow as Africans we are discouraged from using nuclear as an energy source because we are deemed irresponsible to be trusted with the technology.
Yet South Africa has proven the opposite can be achieved with nuclear power. We have the best non-proliferation nuclear energy complex also used for non-military scientific use. We must use our coal and clean it through a high-efficiency, low emissions (Hele) technology process.
Should South Africa sacrifice its socio-economic growth over achieving ambitious, somewhat unrealistic climate goals? We need a mixed approach towards development – a for-or-against approach doesn’t work.
We need all available energy resources, carbon-rich fossil fuels energy, green renewable clean energy sources at our disposal to power our economy, to grow and thrive as a country. There is just too much poverty in the South. The global West, the North and the East are chief polluters and GHG emitters so they must bear the brunt and pay their fair share towards the climate and environment responsibility.
Asia, Europe and America enjoy the finest development at everyone’s expense. South Africa is the least emitter and polluter and must be given room to pave its own sovereign socio-economic developed growth path.
Crown Prince Adil Nchabeleng is president of Transform RSA and an independent energy expert.
* The views expressed by the columnist are held independently of Business Report and Independent Media.
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