An overlooked aspect of the just energy transition is the impact coal mine closures will have on mining communities.
Now we have a better idea, thanks to some research published in the Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Five coal-fired power plants and 15 coal mines will likely close by 2030, and another four plants and 23 mines by 2040. This will impact the livelihoods of 2.5 million people, most of them in Mpumalanga.
Digging deeper into the numbers, the five coal-power stations due for retirement by 2030 will withdraw 8.9GW from the grid, followed by a further 14GW when another four power stations are likely decommissioned by 2040.