The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) has welcomed government’s recent approval and release of the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2025 and the revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for 2035, describing them as key milestones in South Africa’s commitment to energy security and climate action.

The two policy documents form part of the country’s long-term strategy to meet electricity demand, while addressing climate change under the Paris Agreement, with the revised NDC submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

According to the PCC, the power sector remains central to reducing emissions across the economy, while also offering opportunities for economic growth, green industrialisation and the implementation of a just transition. The IRP 2025 outlines current and future electricity generation capacity and identifies required investments to ensure reliable energy supply.

The commission said it recognised that the updated IRP supports renewable-energy expansion and recommended stronger alignment between energy and climate policy frameworks, including the NDC emissions targets, the IRP and sectoral emission targets based on the Climate Change Act, the National Development Plan and the Just Transition Framework.

“Moving ahead, the PCC calls for policy coherence as an enabler for attracting power sector investments required by our Just Energy Transition Investment Plan. Key actions should include integrating renewable-energy and infrastructure modernisation, explicitly outlining decarbonisation targets into existing energy-intensive industrial master plans, timeous and inclusive planning for coal phase-down in the energy mix and embedding climate finance into national budgeting processes.

“Equally, we call upon government to continue to seek consensus and improve on its consultation processes, to ensure that policy decisions about our future energy needs and emissions trajectory are well canvassed amongst all social partners, including vulnerable and economically marginalised communities,” PCC executive director Dorah Modise said.

The PCC said South Africa’s updated plans would be important discussion points at the upcoming COP30 climate conference in Brazil, which coincides with the thirtieth anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol and the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement.

The commission emphasised the importance of reflecting on global progress and demonstrating leadership in shaping the next phase of international climate action.

It also expressed support for South Africa’s delegation to COP30, led by Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Dion George.

The PCC also urged South Africa’s G20 Presidency and the country’s leadership to use the upcoming Global Leader Summit as an opportunity to demonstrate decisive action and advance the climate agenda.