The South African Supreme Court ruled in early December that the government's plans to increase coal capacity are unlawful.
According to The Conversation, environmental organizations mounted what has come to be known as the Cancel Coal case "in November 2021, to challenge the authorisation of new coal-fired power as part of the country's energy mix."
This came in response to a 2020 initiative from the Minister of Mineral Resources to acquire a "massive additional amount" of coal capacity.
The organizations — including groundWork, the African Climate Alliance, and the Vukani Environmental Justice Movement in Action — showed that burning coal can negatively impact human health, particularly in children, who are especially vulnerable to effects such as respiratory conditions, neurological problems, and developmental delays. They argued, The Conversation reported, "that the new coal-fired power would violate human rights to life, human dignity, equality, and access to food and water," in breach of the South African constitution.
The litigants' evidence also demonstrated coal's adverse impacts on the environment, showing that the additional capacity would cause the country to surpass its own emissions limits. (According to the International Energy Agency, South Africa was the top-producing African country of carbon dioxide in 2022. It generally ranks within the top 20 countries worldwide.)
The judge found that the government did not give enough consideration to these concerns. Per The Conversation, the "government also failed to show that it considered less harmful means of meeting the country's electricity needs."
The ruling does not mean ending all coal-fired power in South Africa, but it does mean that the government can't increase the capacity with its original plan. And in something of a landmark move, it tied constitutional protections for human rights to decisions about the sources of energy we use. Context reported that this was "the first time South African courts have ruled on the specific impacts of coal power generation on the rights of children."
The International Trade Administration states that around 85% of South Africa's electricity comes from coal-fired power. But the country isn't alone — much of the world still relies on coal, and a global report showed coal capacity grew 2% in 2023.
Meanwhile, South Africa's goal is to have 33% of its energy generated by renewable sources by 2030, according to Ember, with 13% currently coming from solar and wind. This renewables target will be critical in replacing coal-fired power, which can harm human health while releasing the heat-trapping gases that raise global temperatures and drive extreme weather events.
Many organizations are fighting for a healthy environment, working together just like the litigants in the Cancel Coal case. You can help by taking local action, donating to climate causes, and speaking with your representatives to advocate for cleaner energy sources.
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