Why South Africa’s COP30 message must put energy security at the core of climate ambition

IN THE energy sector, we know one truth too well: you cannot industrialise in the dark.

- PRINCESS MTHOMBENI

For too long, South Africa's economic aspirations have flickered under the weight of an unstable power system. Factories stall, investors hesitate and young entrepreneurs fight to keep their doors open through blackouts.

As the world prepares for COP30, which will take place from 10 - 21 November 2025 in Belém, Brazil, South Africa has a rare opportunity to reset the conversation - to prove that climate responsibility and industrial growth can coexist. That conviction guided my message on behalf of the Black Business Council (BBC) at the National Ministerial Stakeholder Consultation hosted on 20 October 2025 by Minister Dion George of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). Our call was simple but urgent: South Africa's transition to a low-carbon economy must be balanced, bankable and business-driven.

Powering growth through balance South Africa's economy grew by just 0.6 percent in 2024, and only 0.8 percent in the second quarter of 2025, according to Statistics South Africa. Growth at this pace cannot create the jobs or revenue our nation needs. Energy insecurity remains the chief culprit, costing the economy billions in lost productivity each year. To break this cycle, we must stop viewing climate policy and economic policy as separate debates. Energy is the heartbeat of both. The BBC's position is clear: the transition must harness every viable technology - renewables, gas, nuclear and even coal - working together to deliver reliability, affordability and sustainability. "You can't build a modern economy on intermittent power alone."

Frameworks must converge, not collide