The African continent has some of the highest global poverty rates, levels of inequality, climate vulnerabilities, and shortfalls in access to energy. 

These dynamics create sustainable development challenges in the context of urgent climate action towards net zero emission, on the one hand; and the global goals to end poverty and create decent work and economic growth, on the other. 

Projects and studies

Just Energy Transition and Green Jobs Project

South Africa’s shift towards a decarbonised economy requires a just transition strategy that will not worsen the high inequalities that already exist in the country. Following the first Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) set up in 2022 between the South African government and the International Partners Group, policymakers need a better understanding of the transition’s potential impact on jobs, the skills required to transition into new opportunities, and the interventions needed to grow such skills in the labour market. The Green Jobs project aims to contribute to the evidence base on the employment effects of the “green economy” transition. This research, led by the Youth Explorer team of the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town, is in partnership with ACEIR’s South Africa node, and the Human Sciences Research Council. Read more

Transforming Social Inequalities Through Inclusive Climate Action (TSITICA)

This multidisciplinary project brought together two centres of excellence of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) with world-leading expertise from the United Kingdom to form a network for research at the nexus of climate change, inequality and poverty. The research agenda tackled the overall question of how climate actions can be deliberately targeted to improve livelihoods and equitably benefit all, including the most vulnerable and poor. Read more