The ministers signed a Joint Declaration of Intent to lay the groundwork for establishing a bilateral research chair on the subject of “Just energy transition” as part of the strategic visit.
The German Minister of Research and Education, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, and her delegation were hosted by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr. Blade Nzimande, during their two-day visit to South Africa. During a scheduled dinner meeting in Cape Town, the ministers signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) to lay the groundwork for establishing a bilateral research chair on the subject of “Just energy transition” as part of the strategic visit.
The collaboration between the nations will also make it possible to keep investing in order to advance the 1996 “South African-German Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Science, Research, and Technology.”
The agreement between the nations will also make it possible to switch from an energy production system based on fossil fuels to one that is carbon neutral, which is essential for both nations’ socioeconomic development.
The scientific monitoring of the social, economic, and ecological effects of structural change, particularly in the mining regions, is one of the topics of discussion; the creation of a comprehensive research strategy to comprehend the numerous implications and effects of this challenging transition process; the participation of important social and political actors in the research process to help improve the conditions for a transition to a socially just energy system; the strengthening of science communication, encouraging a culture of civil discourse between society, politics, and science; and fostering social and scientific exchange to advance knowledge-based societies and social, economic, and ecological stability.
As a German member of the SKA Organization, Minister Stark-Watzinger will also travel to the Northern Cape to see the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) site.
Fossil fuel is a hydrocarbon-containing substance that forms naturally in the Earth’s crust from the remains of dead plants and animals and is extracted and burned as a fuel. Examples of such substances include coal, oil, and natural gas.
Fossil fuels can be burned to produce electricity, power engines (like the internal combustion engines in cars), or provide heat for immediate use (like for cooking or heating). Before burning, some fossil fuels are refined to produce derivatives like kerosene, gasoline, and propane.
The anaerobic decomposition of buried, dead organisms that contained organic molecules produced by photosynthesis is the source of fossil fuels. The geological process that transforms these materials into high-carbon fossil fuels typically takes millions of years.