Tag: environmental stewardship

Africa sits at a crossroads. The continent is rich in natural resources, faces growing energy demand and urgently needs modern infrastructure. Yet translating this potential into sustainable, long-term development is rarely straightforward. For developers, oil and gas operators, governments and financiers, success depends on more than mere resource availability.

The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change draws to a close this week. For Africa, discussions at this year’s conference placed the continent as a central player that is playing an active role in actioning efforts and initiatives for a better, more sustainable future.

Reading through the proposed amendments to the Companies Act again, it struck me that they are symptomatic of a general South African problem: too much regulation, too few results. No doubt some of these amendments are necessary, but will they actually address the big issues that concern us all?

To date, policymakers, regulators, the scientific community and even consumers have had to step in to close the economic gap between the hydrocarbon energy system and the low-carbon system. This transition is an energy system transition, not a supply-centric one, and it is distinguished by placing decarbonisation at the core.