Glimpses from the Global South for the climate and just energy transition agenda

An international gathering of the Think Tank 20 (T20) engagement group stresses the need for global cooperation and concrete measures to face the impacts of climate change and promote a just and inclusive transition in the Global South.

With the aim of promoting knowledge exchange between Brasil and South Africa on the climate and just energy transition agenda in the context of the G20, Brics, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Think Tank 20 (T20), an engagement group linked to the G20 Social, held the seminar “Strengthening the Global South Climate Agenda – Recommendations for the G20 and Brics+”. 

According to Dr. Sarah Mosoetsa, from the South African BRICS Think Tank, the G20 countries are “at a stage of development that is different from that of the Northern countries, with a demographic bonus and a reality that must be considered in order to establish solutions”. She believes that the differences between the countries are so vast that their planning must be different, taking into account the environmental impact that has already been caused by the countries that developed first. “We do not have much time for debate, we must act,” stated Mosoetsa. 

The seminar participants discussed the growing pressure to limit the Globe’s increase in temperature to less than 1,5 °C. The primary goal is on strengthening global cooperation and developing solutions to reduce social and environmental impacts. Climate change is felt globally, but the Global South faces various structural challenges that amplify risk and vulnerability. 

According to the subsecretary of the Finance for Sustainable Development of the Brazilian Ministry of Finance, Ivan Oliveira, the meeting helps promote the South-South debate, taking the reality of each country into account. “Different situations require different solutions,” advocated Oliveira. He believes the coincidence of three developing countries holding the G20 presidency in succession will help make this agenda viable. 

For the participants, the impacts of climate change continue to accelerate, disproportionally affecting the countries of the Global South. The lack of financial and technical resources, in addition to urgent social needs, generates an even more challenging scenario for these countries in which they need to find solutions to mitigate and adapt to, the effects of climate change while facing structural issues such as hunger and poverty. 

African Experience

In 2021, South Africa became the first country to establish a partnership in what was called a just energy transition. The model was extended to other countries in the Global South, including Indonesia, Vietnam, and Senegal. The concept recognizes that the transition from fossil fuels must be done in such a way that the negative impacts on the most vulnerable can be soothed.

The representative of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), Luanda Mpungose, emphasized the importance of these discussions. “In the G20 Agenda, Brasil is the current president and South Africa will take on the presidency in December. So it is important that we may coordinate the areas of mutual interest among the different sectors”, she stated.

Another SAIIA representative, Nerissa Muthayan, highlighted the importance of knowledge exchange through debate. “I believe Brasil has an incredibly strong renewable energy matrix that can be used as a development model for many countries. Brasil did an amazing job in increasing its capacity to generate solar and wind energy in a relatively short time,” she said. “I look forward to returning to South Africa and applying the knowledge I received to enrich our policy”.

The event contributed to the implementation of two projects currently underway by SAIIA: "Brics Shaping Economic Cooperation for Green Growth, Development, and the Just Transition: A Partnership between Brasil and South Africa", supported by the South African BRICS Think Tank, and the "Global South Climate Network", supported by the African Climate Foundation.

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