| Led by: Arup |
| Beneficiary: EThekwini Municipality |
| Sector: Low-carbon policy |
| Implementing dates: July 2021 - June 2022 |
The problem: The eThekwini region in South Africa faces significant challenges from climate change, including vulnerabilities to disasters such as flooding and pollution. A reliance on coal-intensive industries hampers economic diversification and progress toward decarbonization. Additionally, there is a need for enhanced infrastructure and skills to transition to a green hydrogen economy that supports sustainable development and mitigates the impact of climate change.
UK PACT’s intervention: The project supported the development of the eThekwini Regional Hydrogen Strategy, which applies circular economy principles to establish a hydrogen value chain. It provided technical assistance to co-create a labour and skills transition plan through advanced modeling of national energy systems, identifying employment pathways to move from coal dependency to a green hydrogen economy. The strategy focused on leveraging existing infrastructure, renewable energy resources, and skills in key hydrogen hubs like Durban, Richards Bay, and Cato Ridge. It also aligned the TVET college system with industry demands to upskill and retrain workers for the emerging green economy.
Intended long term outcome: The project aims to establish the eThekwini region as a key player in the hydrogen economy, attracting significant investment, creating thousands of construction and permanent jobs, and advancing South Africa's just energy transition. By fostering partnerships and implementing policy recommendations, the initiative seeks to ensure sustainable economic growth, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and resilience against climate change impacts.
“The National Development Plan (NDP) outlines the need for South Africa to invest in a strong network of economic infrastructure to support the country’s medium and long-term economic objectives. This project will shed light on the infrastructure gaps and potential investment required for the establishment of a hydrogen economy.”
- Damane Hlalele, Director, Arup
