The Climate Question

Are South Africa’s blackouts a green turning point?


Listen Later

Worsening energy blackouts are crippling South Africa. They’re being caused in part by an over-reliance on ageing coal-fired power stations which can’t produce enough electricity. The government has an ambitious plan to rapidly build up solar and wind power by opening up the grid to private providers. But it’s facing opposition from the coal lobby.

Will this electricity crisis be the thing that finally pushes South Africa to implement its climate plan? And can it be implemented in a way that treats all South Africans equally, and doesn’t unfairly benefit a rich minority?

Presenters Sophie Eastaugh and Luke Jones are joined by:

Dr Nthabiseng Mohlakoana, expert in South Africa’s Just Energy transition, Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands
Steve Nicholls, Head of Mitigation at the Presidential Climate Commission, South Africa’s
Elna Schutz, freelance journalist who spoke to businesses in and around Johannesburg

Email us: [email protected]

Producer: Laurence Knight

Researcher: Matt Toulson
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Richard Vadon
Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Climate QuestionBy BBC World Service

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

165 ratings


More shows like The Climate Question

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,685 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,044 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,433 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,791 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,794 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,100 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,923 Listeners

Climate One by Climate One from The Commonwealth Club

Climate One

568 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

418 Listeners

Science Weekly by The Guardian

Science Weekly

417 Listeners

Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

Curious Cases

807 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

843 Listeners

Science In Action by BBC World Service

Science In Action

345 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

355 Listeners

CrowdScience by BBC World Service

CrowdScience

483 Listeners

People Fixing the World by BBC World Service

People Fixing the World

241 Listeners

Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast by Persephonica and Global Optimism

Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast

462 Listeners

The Climate Pod by The Climate Pod

The Climate Pod

298 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,185 Listeners

Climate Rising by Harvard Business School Business & Environment Initiative

Climate Rising

79 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

736 Listeners

Speed & Scale by TED

Speed & Scale

90 Listeners

Zero: The Climate Race by Bloomberg

Zero: The Climate Race

219 Listeners

Rare Earth by BBC Radio 4

Rare Earth

13 Listeners