Presentation short abstract

This research uses a social reproduction lens to understand the energy transition in South Africa and what this might mean for labour and inequality. The details of working conditions and life around a coal plant and a solar plant are explored and compared.

Presentation long abstract

The just energy transition has gained extraordinary traction across different social groups in South Africa, and internationally as a response to climate change. Widespread support may be due to the fact that “[l]ow-carbon sources of energy are often framed as more equitable, egalitarian, and just than their fossil-fuelled or carbon-intensive counterparts” (Sovacool, 2021, p. 1). In reality, there is significant uncertainty in this transition as it will impact the livelihoods of many communities, particularly those who are dependent on the coal value chain. The nature of employment on renewable energy power plants is also relatively unknown. This arises in the context of a crisis of social reproduction, where most people in South Africa are struggling to meet their basic needs, as poverty, unemployment and inequality are prevalent.

Using the lens of social reproduction calls into question the assumptions made about the economy in the energy transition. These assumptions include the narrow focus on formal jobs and energy production, avoiding the informal economy, unpaid work and energy poverty. Using mixed methods, I compare two towns, one that is close to a coal power station and another nearby a solar power station, looking at the characteristics of social reproduction in each town to answer the research question: What is the relationship between energy transition and social reproduction in South Africa, with a focus on gendered labour?