Between Confrontation and Cooperation

The Transition Conflict Jobs Versus Climate in the South African Energy Transition

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32387/prokla.v53i210.2030

Keywords:

Transition Conflicts, Transition Alliances, Energy Transition, Just Transition, Jobs Versus Environment

Abstract

Conflicts often arise when phasing out fossil fuels. In South Africa, the conflict of jobs versus climate emerges in the course of the competition between fossil and green hegemony projects. Nonetheless, trade unions and climate movements tried to develop joint strategies early on. After a period of intense conflict, these efforts have recently been taken up again. The example of South Africa shows that transition conflicts can divide progressive forces along the conflict line of jobs versus climate, but they can also generate learning processes. Under favourable conditions, these contribute to overcoming the conflict line and building counterhegemonic transition alliances.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bauriedl, Sybille (2019): »Just Transition«: Umkämpfte Gerechtigkeit beim UN-Klimagipfel 2018. URL: https://klimadebatte.wordpress.com/2019/01/12/just-transition-umkaempfte-gerechtigkeit-beim-un-klimagipfel-2018/, Zugriff: 2.11.2022.

Brand, Ulrich (2020): Post-Wachstum und Gegen-Hegemonie: Klimastreiks und Alternativen zur imperialen Lebensweise. Hamburg.

Buhlungu, Sakhela (2010): A Paradox of Victory: COSATU and the Democratic Transformation in South Africa. Durban.

Burton, Jesse / Caetano, Tara / McCall, Bryce (2018): Coal transitions in South Africa. URL: https://www.iddri.org/sites/default/files/PDF/Publications/Catalogue%20Iddri/Rapport/20180609_ReportCoal_SouthAfrica.pdf, Zugriff: 7.12.2022.

Ciplet, David / Harrison Jill (2020): Transition tensions: mapping conflicts in movements for a just and sustainable transition. In: Environmental Politics 29(3): 435-456. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2019.1595883.

COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions) (2012): A just transition to a low-carbon and climate resilient economy. URL: https://www.tips.org.za/just-transition/item/download/2055_ec782d5f9cf58c01871e5c5e9a711650, Zugriff: 2.11.2022.

– (2022): Just Transition Blueprint for Workers. URL: http://mediadon.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/COSATU-Just-Transition-Blueprint-Full-version.pdf, Zugriff: 6.11.2022.

Deedat, Hameda (2018): The mining-energy nexus, climate change and prospects of just transition: Reflections of a labour education. In: Valiani, Salimah (Hg.): The Future of Mining in South Africa: Sunset or Sunrise? Johannesburg: 335-357. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvgc60w8.16.

Dörre, Klaus u.a. (2020): Abschied von Kohle und Auto? Sozial-ökologische Transformationsprojekte um Energie und Mobilität. Frankfurt/M.

Fine, Ben / Rustomjee, Zavareh (1996): The Political Economy of South Africa: From Minerals-Energy-Complex to Industrialisation. London.

Goodstein, Eban (1999): The Trade Off Myth: Fact and Fiction about Jobs and the Environment. Washington.

Haas, Tobias (2017): Die politische Ökonomie der Energiewende. Deutschland und Spanien im Kontext multipler Krisendynamiken in Europa. Wiesbaden. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-17319-7.

Hanto, Jonathan u.a. (2022): South Africa’s energy transition – Unraveling its political economy. In: Energy for Sustainable Development 69: 164-178. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2022.06.006.

ILO (International Labour Organization) (2018): World Employment and Social Outlook 2018: Greening with jobs. URL: https://www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/WCMS_628654/lang--en/index.htm, Zugriff: 2.11.2022.

Kannankulam, John / Georgi, Fabian (2014): Kräfteverhältnisse und ›Hegemonieprojekte‹ in der Eurokrise. Zur empirischen Analyse europäischer Konfliktdynamiken. Arbeitspapier zur DVPW-Tagung der Sektion Politische Ökonomie am 9./10.10.2014.

Kuckartz, Udo (2018): Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse. Methoden, Praxis, Computerunterstützung. Weinheim.

Lawhon, Mary / Murphy, James (2012): Socio-technical regimes and sustainability transitions: Insights from political ecology. In: Progress in Human Geography 36(3): 354-378. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0309132511427960.

Mitchell, Timothy (2011): Carbon Democracy. Political Power in the Age of Oil. London.

Morena, Edouard / Krause, Dunja / Stevis, Dimitris (2020): Just Transitions: Social Justice in the Shift Towards a Low-Carbon World. London. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvs09qrx.

Müller, Franziska / Claar, Simone (2021): Auctioning a ›just energy transition‹? South Africa’s renewable energy procurement programme and its implications for transition strategies. In: Review of African Political Economy 48(169): 333-351. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03056244.2021.1932790.

Müller, Melanie (2017): Auswirkungen internationaler Konferenzen auf soziale Bewegungen. Das Fallbeispiel der Klimakonferenz in Südafrika. Wiesbaden. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-16870-4.

Müller, Tadzio (2018): »As Time Goes by …«: The Hidden Pitfalls of the »Just Transition« Narrative. URL: https://medium.com/just-transitions/mueller-fc3f434025cc, Zugriff: 2.11.2022.

NUMSA (National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa) (2012): Building a Socially-Owned Renewable Energy Sector in SA. Beschluss angenommen auf dem 9. Nationalkongress von NUMSA im Juni 2013.

– (2018): NUMSA and Transform RSA granted an interdict to prevent Eskom IPP contracts! (13.3.2018). URL: https://numsa.org.za/2018/03/numsa-and-transform-rsa-granted-an-interdict-to-prevent-eskom-ipp-contracts/, Zugriff: 2.11.2022.

– (2022): NUMSA Extended Central Comittee Secretariate Report.

Politicsweb (2018): Greenpeace hammers NUMSA over IPP interdict (14.3.2018). URL: https://www.politicsweb.co.za/opinion/greenpeace-hammers-numsa-over-ipp-interdict, Zugriff: 2.11.2022.

Räthzel, Nora / Uzzell, David (2011): Trade unions and climate change: The jobs versus environment dilemma. In: Global Environmental Change 21(4): 1215-1223. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2011.07.010.

Räthzel, Nora / Stevis, Dimitris / Uzzell, David (Hg.) (2021): The Palgrave Handbook of Environmental Labour Studies. Cham. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71909-8.

Russell, Ellen (2018): Resisting Divide and Conquer: Worker/Environmental Alliances and the Problem of Economic Growth. In: Capitalism Nature Socialism 29(4): 109-128. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10455752.2017.1360924.

– (2019): The Big Debate on Energy (2.5.2019).URL: https://youtu.be/y3DpUfDEaP0, Zugriff: 2.11.2022.

Satheesh, Silpa (2020): Moving beyond class: A critical review of labor-environmental conflicts from the global south. In: Sociology Compass 14(7): 1-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12797.

Scheidel, Armin u.a. (2018): Ecological distribution conflicts as forces for sustainability: an overview and conceptual framework. In: Sustainability Science 13: 585-598. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-017-0519-0.

Schnaiberg, Allan (1980): The environment: from surplus to scarcity. New York.

Sikwebu, Dinga / Aroun, Woodrajh (2021): Energy Transitions in the Global South: The Precarious Location of Unions. In: Räthzel, Nora u.a. (2021): The Palgrave Handbook of Environmental Labour Studies. London: 59-81. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71909-8_3.

Soder, Michael / Niedermoser, Kathrin / Theine, Hendrik (2018): Beyond growth: New alliances for socio-ecological transformation in Austria. In: Globalizations 15(4): 520-535. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2018.1454680.

Ting, Marie Blanche / Byrne, Rob (2020): Eskom and the rise of renewables: Regime-resistance, crisis and the strategy of incumbency in South Africa’s electricity system. In: Energy Research & Social Science 60: 101333. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2019.101333.

TIPS – Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (2020): Sector jobs resilience plan: coal value chain. URL: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/110green/files/atoms/files/Final%20Sector%20Jobs%20Resilience%20Plans%20for%20Coal%20Value%20Chain%202020_0.pdf, Zugriff: 2.11.2022.

Thopil, George / Pouris, Anastassios (2013): International positioning of South African electricity prices and commodity differentiated pricing. In: South African Journal of Science 109(7/8): 1-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/sajs.2013/20120075.

Von Holdt, Karl (2002): Social Movement Unionism: the Case of South Africa. In: Work, Employment and Society 16(2): 283-304. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/095001702400426848.

Wilgosh, Becca / Sorman, Alevgul / Barcena, Iñaki (2022): When two movements collide: Learning from labour and environmental struggles for future Just Transitions. In: Futures 137: 102903. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2022.102903.

Wissen, Markus (2020): Klimakrise und Klassenkampf. Zum Verhältnis von ökologischen und sozialen Konflikten. In: PROKLA 200 50(3): 441-464. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32387/prokla.v50i200.1900.

Witzel, Andreas / Reiter, Herwig (2000): The Problem-centred Interview. London.

Published

2023-02-28

How to Cite

Kalt, T. (2023). Between Confrontation and Cooperation: The Transition Conflict Jobs Versus Climate in the South African Energy Transition. PROKLA. Journal of Critical Social Science, 53(210), 99–115. https://doi.org/10.32387/prokla.v53i210.2030

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.