Business unusual as climate pressure mounts

President Jacob Zuma.

President Jacob Zuma says new ways of producing goods -- which will reduce both the economy's use of energy and emissions from energy production -- have to be found.

This, according to Zuma, will require a profound and far-reaching change in the country’s economy, and will affect how business is done.

“It is not a job just for government or business or labour alone. It is something we must work on together,” said Zuma at the World Economic Forum Green Partnership Dialogue on Sunday.

Transforming production means to make them more environmentally sustainable in the long term would open the door to new investment, production and employment prospects, said Zuma.

South Africa is the largest producer of electricity in sub-Saharan Africa, generating 90% of its electricity from coal. The country has committed to securing 4 000 megawatts of renewable energy for the national grid by 2016. This is more than the City of Durban uses in a year.

The solar and wind energy industries have targeted the creation of at least 50 000 green jobs by 2020, with government pledging its support for the installation of one million solar water heating systems by 2014 to 2015.

This would also provide the basis for expanding local production of components and heating systems.

Zuma said bringing in new sources of electricity required government to regulate the national grid, and that it needed business to invest and bring its technological and managerial expertise to the table.

“Above all, we must make sure that poor communities do not end up footing the bill, whether through job losses or high prices.

“We are encouraging more labour-intensive activities that can create employment opportunities on a mass scale,” he said.

Zuma added that the country’s electricity utility, Eskom, and business would continue to work on technologies to further reduce emissions from coal-fired plants.