South Africa plans to postpone the decommissioning of eight coal-fired power plants in response to power crisis, Reuters reported, citing three senior government officials.
The move may hinder the nation's progress toward its 2030 carbon emissions targets set under the Paris climate agreement. As the world's 11th greenhouse gas emitter, the country had committed to reducing its emissions to 350-420 million tonnes by 2030, down from the 442 million tonnes recorded in 2020.
The original strategy involved phasing out six coal-fired power plants by 2030, with the remaining two by 2034, as the power sector accounts for a substantial portion of the country's emissions.
However, the ongoing power supply crisis has thrown a wrench into these plans, with unnamed government officials suggesting that the 2030 emissions target may not be attainable.
South Africa has been suffering blackouts of sometimes up to 10 hours a day for the past 18 months.
(Writing by Emma Yang Editing by Harry Huo)
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