Intersectionality and adaptation in the South African Coalfields

project summary

Southern Africa’s coal-dependent regions are under pressure as the world shifts toward cleaner energy. Nowhere is this more urgent than Mpumalanga, South Africa’s main coal province, which produces most of the country’s electricity and jobs linked to coal. Communities here face job losses, pollution, and uncertain futures as mines and power plants close. Our project asks: how do people in these coal towns adapt to such change, and how do overlapping factors like gender, age, ethnicity, or migration status shape their experiences?

The project has three goals. First, we will document community-led ideas for adapting to a post-coal future—whether through small businesses, urban farming, or cultural initiatives—and help turn some of them into prototypes. Second, we will examine what governments, NGOs, and companies are doing to support the transition, and whether these actions align with community needs. Third, we will carry out a large survey with over 1,000 households to measure people’s awareness, hopes, and concerns about the transition, comparing today’s situation with data from 2017.

To achieve this, we combine ethnographic and arts-based research, in which residents use photography, storytelling, and collaborative workshops to express their visions; interviews and network mapping with policymakers and stakeholders; and a quantitative survey to capture broad trends. A final Just Transition Summit will bring communities, researchers, and decision-makers together to exchange knowledge and showcase results through exhibitions, films, and policy discussions.

The project is expected to deliver both academic and practical results. Communities will gain stronger voices and tools to influence decisions. Policymakers will receive timely evidence to shape inclusive, fair, and effective transition strategies. New research capacity will be built at South African universities and NGOs, ensuring impact beyond the project. Lessons learned in Mpumalanga will also benefit other coal-dependent regions worldwide, from Zimbabwe and Mozambique to Indonesia and Colombia, fostering South–South collaboration on just and equitable energy transitions.