Course Title
Climate Innovation in South Africa
Faculty
Liana Frey, Adjunct Professor of Business Administration
Date
December 2024
Destination Cities
Johannesburg and Cape Town
Course Description
The Wilson Center, a research institute, emphasizes that Africa will be a pivotal battleground in the fight against climate change. Why is Africa so significant on the road to net zero when Africa contributes less than 4% to global carbon emissions?
Africa has a key role to play in climate innovation. By 2050, one in four people on the planet will be African. Africa stands out as the only region experiencing rapid population growth and urbanization. It boasts rich biodiversity, ample arable land, vast renewable energy potential, a growing skilled workforce, and a thriving pool of tech talent. As Africans gain affluence, their demand for energy, transportation, infrastructure, and consumer goods will increase, leading to emissions growth. This trajectory matters globally because even moderate increases in emissions per person in African countries would overwhelm efforts by high-emitting countries to reduce CO2 emissions. Because of its low base of carbon emissions and rapidly growing youthful population, Africa’s trajectory on transitioning to a green economy will impact global progress to net zero.
We will examine South Africa as a case study for transitioning to a new climate economy. This involves exploring business innovation across various economic sectors, including phasing out coal and expanding renewable energy in the energy sector, promoting shared, electric, and lowcarbon transport in urban areas, scaling up sustainable food and land use practices, and reducing emissions from key industrial sectors like plastic production.