The JUST SA project is a key initiative supporting South Africa’s shift towards a low-carbon, environmentally sustainable, and climate-resilient economy, ensuring that the transition is socially just and inclusive. The project is funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and its partner is the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE). JUST SA is implemented by GIZ in collaboration with consortium partners, namely Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS), the National Business Initiative (NBI), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) South Africa and in close collaboration with implementing partners such as the Mpumalanga Green Cluster Agency (MGCA).
JUST SA takes a multi-level approach, addressing the just transition across national, regional, and local levels. At the national level, the project supports key national stakeholders such as the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) and the implementation of key policy documents like the Just Transition Framework as well as the development of necessary financial instruments to facilitate the decarbonisation of the economy. Furthermore, facilitation of dialogue fora and information sharing to a multi-stakeholder group takes place, ensuring an inclusive and results-oriented process.
At regional level, the project capacitates and assists provincial stakeholders, such as the MGCA, in formulating and implementing concrete and sustainable alternative development pathways for a diversified regional economy and supports targeted SMMEs to unlock their growth potential for Just Transition and receive access to finance.
At the local level, the project pilots and scales up activities in selected municipalities of Mpumalanga, provides bottom-up approaches to community development and capacity building to municipalities in the JET as well as concrete training and coaching for small businesses.
Furthermore, environmental risks of mine closure and rehabilitation are addressed with a focus on mine water treatment through research, policy implementation and community engagement. Business opportunities on land to be rehabilitated are being explored and supported and lessons learnt fed back into the dialogue process.
