Seminar: An analytical framework to assess green transition jobs in South Africa

In response to the climate crisis, coal-reliant South Africa is shifting to a greener economy by implementing policies to support a just energy transition. A particular focus is the protection of workers and communities in coal regions, who risk loss of employment and livelihood due to the closure of coal infrastructure.

This research paper proposes an analytical framework for profiling impacted workers, based on their occupations and industry, using South African labour force data. The research combines a bottom-up approach to identify related jobs with a top-down approach to identifying ‘brown’ industries, resulting in a matrix that illustrates where workers find themselves on the nexus between green transition jobs and brown industries. This nuanced approach helps identify workers most vulnerable to the transition.

This paper is part of a collaborative project on green jobs led by the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town, in partnership with ACEIR’s South Africa node, and the Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa.