South Africa faces huge challenges in transition away from coal

Coal-fired power plant. [iStockphoto]

Living in the shadow of one of South Africa's largest coal-fired power stations, residents of Masakhane fear job losses if the facility is closed as the country moves to cleaner energy.

A significant polluter because it relies on coal to generate about 80 per cent of its electricity, South Africa plans to reduce that to 59 per cent by 2030 by phasing out some of its 15 coal-fired power stations and increasing its use of renewable energy. Its target is zero carbon emissions by 2050.