Deadline: 15-Sep-23
The UK and South Africa have committed to work together to accelerate action on climate change while creating sustainable jobs. To support this partnership, the UK Government is looking to extend its UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) programme in South Africa with technical assistance and capacity-building projects supporting a just energy transition.
This work aims to address barriers to the just energy transition covering electricity pricing, municipal business models and market design, understanding the market and research barriers to investment in green hydrogen, leveraging greater green investment, as well as developing climate strategies for universities that could benefit surrounding communities.
South Africa is the 14th largest greenhouse gas emitter globally. The Just Energy Transition Partnership aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of South Africa’s economy to help it achieve the ambitious goals set out in South Africa’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution emissions goals. South Africa’s commitment to a just transition echoes key Government policies and plans such as the 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (with an update anticipated to be published in due course) and seeks to support the vision set out in the National Development Plan 2030.
In addition to existing socio-economic challenges, South Africa’s energy crisis has hampered economic growth. It is critical that any energy transition is just, democratic and equitable, and that it stimulates economic growth and social inclusion while mitigating against the risks presented by the transition.
Priority Areas
- This call aims to support activities which are strategically aligned to national priorities and key policy areas and additional priorities which enable a just transition, identified through consultations with government counterparts.
- Through consultation with key ministries of the Government of South Africa, they have identified the following priority areas for funding:
- Municipal energy generation: technical assistance to enable and promote renewable energy generation and energy sector and electricity pricing reform at local government level, building on existing work.
- Green hydrogen: technical assistance to support green hydrogen initiatives and the implementation of South Africa’s published ‘Green Hydrogen Commercialisation Strategy’.
- Green finance: technical assistance to increase the alignment and interoperability of the existing South African green finance taxonomy with global taxonomies.
- University climate climate action plans: technical assistance to support climate mitigation efforts by selected universities across the country.
Funding Information
- Up to £500,000 per financial year, per project.
- If bidders propose to cover more than one project, this budget ceiling of £500,000 will increase accordingly (i.e., the budget ceiling for two projects would be £1,000,000 per year).
Duration
- Projects will run for 12-24 months. Projects longer than this (e.g., with a 36-month duration) may be funded where there are clear justifications for impact and Value for Money. All projects are assumed to have a start date in January 2024.
- Proposals can be submitted for multiple thematic areas and projects. Each proposal will be assessed independently.
Eligibility Criteria
- They welcome applications from consortia or organisations with capacity to deliver multiple interventions within a project. Only applicants that are registered as not-for-profit organisations are eligible to be the lead Implementing Partner of a proposal/consortium. For-profit organisations can participate in the call for proposals as partners within a consortium.
- Government agencies and/ or departments are not eligible to apply either as a lead organisation, or as a partner organisation within a consortium.
- In the commitment to the localisation of delivery, additional consideration will be given to consortia which include local organisations, Level 1 and Level 2 B-BBEE contributors, women-owned entities, youth-owned entities, and entities owned by people with disabilities.
For more information, visit UK PACT.