As climate change intensifies, South Africa faces urgent challenges, from extreme weather events to food insecurity. Digital technologies offer transformative solutions for climate change resilience. How can we overcome systemic barriers to harness their full potential? This article explores lessons from the EU’s twin transition and the HSRC’s efforts to drive sustainable development through innovation. By Zikhona Ngqula and Darryn Whisgary
Climate change is no longer a distant threat but a pressing reality reshaping lives globally. In South Africa, worsening droughts, floods and rising temperatures threaten both lives and livelihoods. A 2023 HSRC study found that nearly 75% of South African adults have experienced extreme weather events in the past decade, heightening awareness and concern about climate change. Amid these challenges lies an underexplored opportunity: leveraging digital technologies to build climate resilience.
On 24 October 2024, the HSRC hosted a webinar titled Harnessing Digital Technologies for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. The event featured Professor Björn Jindra from the Copenhagen Business School, who discussed the role of digital innovation in climate action. Insights from European Union policies highlighted the potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) to boost climate resilience while examining how these strategies could be adapted to South Africa’s unique economic and environmental contexts.
The European Union’s twin transition
The EU has set a global benchmark for combining technology and climate policy. However, as Jindra highlighted in his keynote speech, the EU’s progress remains uneven, with challenges such as rising transport emissions and policy gaps limiting its effectiveness. These limitations highlight the need for countries like South Africa to critically adapt this framework to their unique contexts.
The HSRC’s Dr Wilfred Lunga further emphasised the importance of African-specific solutions, noting that Southern Africa’s socio-political and structural challenges require localised approaches to digital sustainability. By learning from the EU’s successes and limitations, South Africa can develop tailored strategies that address its specific needs while leveraging digital technologies for climate resilience. Together, these perspectives underscore the critical role of digital innovation in shaping a sustainable future for the region.
Key elements of a twin transition could include:
1. Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled smart grids that optimise energy distribution and reduce wastage
2. Climate data platforms to predict environmental risks, enhancing resource allocation
3. Digital sustainability technologies designed to drive emission reductions
Jindra and Leusin found that digital sustainability technologies are evolving and contributing to emission reduction efforts. However, their study pointed to limitations, such as uneven progress across sectors and policy gaps that hinder the full potential of these technologies. This dual approach – addressing immediate environmental needs while nurturing long-term technological integration – signals an urgent call to leverage digital innovation for a sustainable future.
South Africa’s unique challenges and opportunities
South Africa has nuanced challenges and opportunities in integrating digital technologies for climate resilience. The country faces critical obstacles such as weak governance structures; significant digital divides that limit access to technology, particularly in underserved and rural communities; as well as policy and funding gaps with fragmented policies and a lack of investment in digital sustainability.
These systemic issues hinder the country’s ability to fully harness digital solutions for addressing climate change.
Opportunities for transformation
South Africa can drive economic, social and environmental progress by strategically investing in digital technologies. With robust policies and infrastructure, these investments can advance energy efficiency, climate resilience and resource management. Integrating digital solutions into key sectors will foster sustainable development, improve service delivery, and foster innovation and environmental conservation.
South Africa has made significant strides in climate change mitigation by adopting and integrating digital technologies:
Source: HSRC
While these achievements indicate progress, continued efforts are crucial to further digital technology adoption across sectors, enhancing climate resilience and sustainability in South Africa.
Bridging the gap: A strategic way forward for South Africa
South Africa needs integrated strategies that combine energy and digital technologies to promote digital inclusion, reduce inequality and achieve environmental goals. Policy innovation is essential, particularly in aligning ICT with environmental priorities and fostering cross-sectoral collaboration.
South Africa can develop frameworks to encourage public–private partnerships and address socioeconomic disparities. For example, incentives like tax breaks, subsidies or grants could motivate private companies to invest in environmentally beneficial ICT projects, such as smart grids or precision agriculture tools.
Equally important is the development of cross-sectoral policies that merge environmental sustainability with ICT development. These policies should ensure mutual reinforcement between sectors and include socioeconomic impact assessments to address technological and social needs.
The recent webinar marked a significant step forward by facilitating knowledge sharing, networking, and raising awareness about the role of digital technologies in climate change mitigation.
Conclusion
Collaboration is key to advancing climate resilience and digital innovation. By building on international partnerships and tailoring proven strategies to South Africa’s needs, we can drive meaningful change. This requires prioritising investments in digital and energy infrastructure, as well as strengthening research and innovation ecosystems to develop locally relevant solutions.
Research contacts:
Zikhona Ngqula, a PhD research trainee and Darryn Whisgary, a research manager at the HSRC’s Centre for Science Technology and Innovation Indicators
