07/10/2024

Green economy: training courses for a just transition in South Africa

The IKI Just SA project supports a seminar programme in the province of Mpumalanga that is aimed at administrative staff at provincial and local level.

The JUST SA programme, which is funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI), supports the country’s path towards a low-carbon, climate-resilient and just economy (Just Transition) through targeted interventions at national, regional and local level.

IKI project works closely with economic research institute

The IKI project works closely with the non-profit economic research organisation Trade Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS). The partners pursue a common goal, namely to contribute to South Africa’s operational implementation of its path towards a decarbonised economy.

Approaches to achieving this goal include:

Further training sessions on the green economy and just transition
National and regional research programmes
Ad hoc support for national and regional just transition processes
Research on various aspects of just transition financing – from pipeline development to financial mechanisms and instruments that support a just transition in South Africa

An example: further training courses for administrative staff

Group picture — Workshop on green economy and just transition in South Africa.

In May 2024, the IKI Just SA project and TIPS organised further training sessions for administrative staff at provincial and local level in the province of Mpumalanga. The sessions aimed to provide participants with the necessary tools and knowledge to promote a sustainable economy and an inclusive just transition in the province.

The training course was conducted by a team of industry experts from TIPS, including Ian Steuart (JUST SA Project Lead), Ntombifuthi Tshabalala (Economist) and Dr Simbarashe Mhaka (Economist).

The course was divided into four sessions, with each session covering theoretical aspects of the green economy and just transition, followed by practical group exercises focusing on political action.

The results of these meetings revealed the need for greater alignment of policies between provincial and municipal levels of government, as well as for increased awareness and education on these issues in the most vulnerable communities.

The most important topics of the course included:

Introducing the concept of “doughnut economics” and how this relates to the green economy. The concept serves as a basis for understanding and ensuring human well-being – while also respecting planetary boundaries.
Identifying measures to develop opportunities in a sustainable economy at regional level.
The three dimensions of a just transition. The trainers introduced the concepts of procedural justice, distributive justice and restorative justice and how these have influenced the definition of a just transition in South Africa.
Risks to jobs in Mpumalanga. The training course analysed the potential impact of the transition on vulnerable groups in high-risk value chains and improved the participants’ understanding of measures to promote a just transition in Mpumalanga.

Results and next steps

The training sessions offered participants a good opportunity to expand their knowledge of instruments and practical examples from the field of sustainable economy and just transition. The content related to both the global and the South African context. Practice-based exercises and group discussions enabled the participants to delve deeper into current policy approaches and instruments that promote the transition to climate-compatible industrial development.

The discussions and exercises helped them to identify potential opportunities for the transition to a green economy. The participants gained a deeper understanding of the key elements, opportunities and challenges of a just transition in South Africa, particularly at sub-national level.

As part of the collaboration between JUST SA and TIPS, this free training course will be offered in all nine provinces of South Africa to provincial and municipal employees whose daily tasks require a good understanding of climate change, sustainable economy and just transition issues.

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