Latest / TIPS Podcast / JUST SA Polokwane — Fhumulani Perseverance Angwenyi

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JUST SA Polokwane — Fhumulani Perseverance Angwenyi · TIPS Podcast

• 0:05
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies official podcast, Tips Talk, the show where we delve into the fascinating world of economics and its impact on global development.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_01: I'm your host, Tobanique, and today we are asking why is it important for local and provincial government officials in the Limbopo province to understand the impact of climate change and the imperative to decarbonize our economy as well as make the transition just.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: We are finding ourselves in Pologani today.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: We see how government officials can turn policy into action.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: I have a lovely guest today.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_01: Can you please introduce yourself to our listeners?
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for the opportunity.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Pomorani Perseverance Angweny.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: I'm from LIDET, which is the Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: I work under section of environmental research, planning and coordination.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: On that, my day-to-day activity is more on policies and research, where I assist the department or the province in the development of green economy strategy for the province.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: I also assist municipalities when it comes to development of plans regarding to sustainable environmental management, issue of climate change.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: I also contribute, though it's sitting with another directorate within the department.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: So on day one yesterday, when everyone was introducing themselves, you definitely mentioned that you are responsible for, if I'm not mistaken, writing some print policies.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_01: But that's something along those lines that made me say, I want to have you on the podcast.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: So maybe just a little bit, can you tell us how did you experience the past two days and what stood out for you?
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: The past two days, it was great, informative and eye-opening, especially when I look at the topics that we covered on day one.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: When the first presentation was giving us more on the definition of green economy, where it was articulating that she needs to strive the balance between the economy, the sustainable ecology management, and the principles of three pillars.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: It's economy and ecology, as well as the social part of it.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: It gave me that insight information because during our development of provincial strategy on green economy, we realized that in most cases, the issue of political will, it's always a challenge.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: And then that section, it will help me more in understanding in terms of the approach that one will need to take in order to have better implementation of the strategy itself within the province, wherein it comes to the issue of just transition on the presentation number two, wherein I will be able now to push the mandate in terms of fairness and equitable, and accessing those that are more vulnerable in all the sectors or the thematic area, which is the waste management, biodiversity, climate change, water conservation, and resource management in general.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: I think those were things that stood out for me.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: All right, all right.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: How would you infuse just transition policies in your line of work?
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: Looking to where I'm sitting in the department, we are more on a supportive directorate.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: So it will assist me much in encouraging research that are evidence-based, that are not leaving out the social part when we are developing the policies.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: So I will advocate for the policies that are supportive in terms of social protection of those that are not able.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: For example, if we look at the strategies that we develop, it didn't cover much on leveraging finances for the equity.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: Projects on green economy and trying to align it with just transition, they will need more of innovations where technologies will need it.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: And when you look at the province where it's sitting and where the projects are implemented, they don't have those funds.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: So the knowledge that I'm gathering, especially on today's presentation, on the tools that will help in implementing projects that will lead to low carbon economy, is the one that I will use.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_01: Do you think, just out of curiosity, in this province, are you saying funding is essentially one of the problems or is the main problem?
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: Funding, it is the main problem.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: Or policies, I can say we are doing well because as a province we have the strategy itself.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: And which has been long being there because we had green economy strategy, which was developed in 2016, if I'm not mistaken, with the climate change.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: And then with times, we had to now develop the strategies on climate change stand alone, and the green economy strategy also standing alone.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: When you look at action plans on those strategies, in the ground, people or community at large, they are trying to implement it, but they don't have funds and support.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: We can look at the issue of waste management.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: Communities are doing recycling, but in terms of technologies or renovations, they are not having much support in terms of finances.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, there are those local communities which they are using plastic to make meds, those ones which are using uh biodiversity, like bioprospecting of marula plants to do products.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: The market itself, it needs their products to meet the standard of at a global scale, but we don't really have money and funds to support them so that they can compete at a global scale or at a national scale.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: So funds is really needed.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_01: So under those circumstances, what would you identify as challenges and opportunities for the whole province at large when it comes to this just transition?
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: Just transition on its own, it's got challenges and opportunities.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's just that we need to strike the balance between the two.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: For example, if we're talking about moving away from the use of poles and then we go to solar, there will be risk in terms of job loss.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: And then there will be risk in terms of risk killing and then training.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: There will also be risk in terms of or sharing the responsibilities in terms of accounting for those who are affected by those changes.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: And then one will say those risks might install more fears to those who are not really aware or having better understanding on what just transition is trying to bring to our economy.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: On the other hand, one will say just transition, it will bring more job creations.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: Because we have seen there are studies that are done on energy just transition.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: If I look at the studies that was done around 2017-2019, there was an increase of 92% job creation on a global scale, meaning that if at all we can follow the trends in terms of what is happening globally, even on our side, there are jobs that are created.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: I can give example when it comes to waste management.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: Those little projects or smaller projects that are happening at a lower scale.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: Like if we find youth that are collecting the plastic bottles to produce sweeping brooms, it's a way of creating jobs for the youth that are unemployed.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: So on that is an opportunity that I'm seeing.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_01: All right, all right.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_01: The idea and need and requirement, even uh, to move away from coal.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, do you believe that we could run a grid just on solar?
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: If we are being honest as a country and the dynamics of our politics and where we are in terms of economy compared to other countries in the globe, I don't think the idea of moving away from coal is the best option.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: In terms of ideal situation, maybe we can say let's push for it, but I feel like there is a need of finding better technologies and better methods that we can do mining, which is not more destructive on the environment and technologies that can reduce the emission of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas in the atmosphere than cutting off the industry.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_00: When you look at all the provinces, they normally run to mining industry for jobs.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: It can be those that are doing hard labor, it can be those that are more on a corporate level, but if you look at the majority at hard labor, if one person who's earning maybe 11,000 in a family loses that job, it's not only going to affect that person.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: By us cutting that kind of source of income, we are affecting the whole community in general.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: So let's strive to find better solutions in managing our mining activities than getting rid of it.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_01: So you advocate for better practices.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, better practices than eradicating.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: Than eradicating the whole sector.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, okay.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: You don't have any last remarks before we leave?
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh what I can say is that um we don't have to fear change.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like as a community, we need to strive for new development, new things, new ideas, and test them.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: I believe that Limpopo province is one of the resilient provinces in terms of responding to issues.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: It can be climate change issues, it can be political issues, or it can be economical issues.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_00: We normally strive and try to better ourselves using the resources that we have within the province.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: So we shouldn't be scared of this concept, uh, just transition and look at if it's a bigger animal.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_01: All right, thank you for joining us today.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: No, you're welcome.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_01: A huge thank you to our guests for sharing their expertise and time with us and also for attending this training.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_01: We hope you will continue to champion the mandate of greening the economy in a just and equitable way.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_01: And to our listeners, your support means the world.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for joining the Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies official podcast.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_01: Remember, sustainable growth is not just a goal, but a path to a more resilient and prosperous future.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_01: Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and connect with us on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_01: Until next time, I'm Tobanike signing off.