There are many similarities between analysing and formulating solutions for South African energy security and formulating
solutions for (global) climate change mitigation.
Both problems are large, but relatively simple to describe, from a technical perspective. The costs of inaction are high and
far outweigh the costs of action. Action is required now. There is a dis-connect between those who will bear the brunt of
inaction and those who will decide on action at adequate scale and fund the costs of these actions.
Energy poverty and climate change have similar impacts: large scale, increased suffering of the poor, community
devastation, escalating social unrest, threats to future socio-economic development and social and political stability.
This brief will use one dimension of energy security, access to affordable electricity – and energy poverty in that sense, in
order to illustrate how energy security and climate change suffer from a lack of adequate action.