Ramokgopa Urges G20 to Champion Inclusive, People-Centred Energy Transition

In a powerful and impassioned address, Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has urged G20 nations to ensure that global energy transitions are anchored in compassion, inclusivity, and social justice — placing humanity, rather than profit, at the centre of the global energy agenda.

Delivering the opening remarks at the G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday, Ramokgopa called on world leaders to make the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group and Ministerial Meetings “a beacon of hope” for millions living without access to basic energy and services.

“May this gathering stand as a beacon of hope, as testament to our unity, compassion and collective resolve. This moment should not be defined by contests of economic power or political will, but by our shared duty to the people we serve individually and together,” he said.

The meeting, attended by global energy ministers, senior government officials, and international organisations, marked one of the final events of South Africa’s G20 Presidency, which has focused heavily on energy justice, access, and sustainability for developing nations.

A Human-Centred Energy Transition

Ramokgopa’s speech was a moral appeal to the world’s largest economies to remember that behind every energy policy decision are people struggling with poverty, inequality, and deprivation.

“We must place at the forefront the real, lived experiences of women and men, of young people and children striving to make ends meet, trapped in cycles of poverty and exposed to persistent challenges that weigh upon our communities,” he said.

The Minister noted that while the world races to decarbonise and modernise its energy systems, billions of people in developing regions remain energy-poor, lacking access to electricity, clean water, sanitation, and reliable healthcare.

“We cannot turn away from those who live on the margins of society, denied electricity, clean water, sanitation, and healthcare. Nor can we ignore millions of children growing up in deprivation, deprived of education and opportunity, and of the simple right to dream without limits. Their reality must be the heartbeat of our deliberations,” Ramokgopa urged.

Africa’s Central Role in the Global Energy Agenda

As South Africa concluded its tenure as chair of the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group, Ramokgopa underscored Africa’s critical role in shaping a new global energy order — one that recognises the continent’s vast renewable potential, young population, and growing industrial base.

He emphasised that the continent’s development cannot be decoupled from global efforts to achieve net-zero emissions and energy resilience.

“Let this be a moment where we realise a world that is just, equitable and humane — a world where every person in every nation is given the chance not merely to survive, but to thrive,” he said.

The Minister further called for a G20-led “energy revolution” that reaffirms Africa’s centrality in achieving global energy security, industrialisation, and sustainable development.

“As we open this fourth Ministerial Meeting, we are reminded that our work here is both a conclusion and a beginning. It concludes a Presidency that has sought to balance ambition with inclusivity, and it begins a new phase where future presidencies will take forward these outcomes, as we chart a new G20-led revolution to reaffirm Africa’s centrality,” he said.

South Africa’s Leadership and Legacy in the G20

Reflecting on South Africa’s leadership during its G20 Presidency, Ramokgopa said the country had worked tirelessly to promote a balanced approach between energy access, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.

Under South Africa’s chairmanship, the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group advanced discussions on energy security, climate finance, clean technology investments, and support for just transitions in emerging economies.

“South Africa stands proud to have steered this process — not for us alone, but for Africa, for the global south, and the world,” Ramokgopa said.

He concluded by calling for Durban to be remembered as the birthplace of renewed global commitment to accessible, reliable, and affordable energy.

“Let us ensure that Durban is remembered as the moment where we reaffirmed our shared commitment to secure affordable, reliable and accessible energy — to balance just and sovereign energy transitions and to a future where industrialisation and sustainability walk hand in hand,” he said.

Balancing Energy Justice with Global Ambition

Ramokgopa’s message resonates with growing international calls for a “just energy transition” — one that not only accelerates the shift from fossil fuels to renewables but also addresses deep socio-economic disparities.

Energy analysts note that as the world intensifies efforts to reach net-zero by 2050, developing nations face the twin challenge of expanding access to affordable energy while managing the economic impacts of decarbonisation. South Africa’s leadership within the G20 has sought to amplify these voices and advocate for greater climate financing, technology transfer, and policy cooperation between developed and developing economies.

As the G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting draws to a close, Ramokgopa’s call for a people-first approach to global energy policy serves as a reminder that the true measure of progress lies not only in megawatts generated or emissions reduced — but in lives uplifted and futures transformed.