Here is a rewritten version of the content in a provocative and controversial manner:
South Africa: The Climate Criminal
South Africa is on the brink of committing environmental genocide, and the world is just standing by. The country is risking a whopping $9.3 billion in climate finance by delaying the closure of its coal-fired power plants, according to a panel appointed by the environment minister. Yes, you read that right – $9.3 BILLION.
The Just Energy Transition Partnership, signed in 2021, was supposed to help South Africa transition away from coal and reduce its carbon footprint. But instead, the country is choosing to prioritize dirty energy and perpetuate climate change.
Eskom, the state-owned power utility, has been given the green light to keep its coal-fired power plants open until 2030, despite the devastating impact on the environment and public health. The company’s plan to retrofit five of its oldest plants with equipment to reduce sulphur dioxide pollution has been deemed impractical, and instead, it will continue to spew toxic fumes into the air.
But it’s not just the environment that’s at risk – the health of South Africans is also under threat. A report commissioned by the environment minister found that the health impact of sulphur dioxide pollution has been grossly underestimated. In fact, the report estimates that the morbidity impacts are likely to be "orders of magnitude greater" than any previously calculated mortality impacts.
And what’s the response from the government? Crickets. The environment minister has accepted Eskom’s appeal to keep the power plants open, despite the overwhelming evidence of the harm they cause.
It’s time for the world to take action and hold South Africa accountable for its climate crimes. The country’s addiction to coal must be broken, and its transition to renewable energy must be accelerated. Anything less is a betrayal of the planet and the people who call it home.
Related: Five polluting Eskom coal plants get stay of execution
