How attending over 30 learning experiences shaped my hope for sustainable & equitable urban-rural communities

In February 2024, I joined the Economic Development Partnership (EDP) as an intern within the Energy & Climate programme. My journey began when I interviewed for the role of project officer. While I didn’t get that role, my experience establishing initiatives to deliver innovative infrastructure solutions—such as food systems, water management, and disaster risk reduction—for rural areas in the Eastern Cape left a lasting impression. I was invited to join the EDP as an intern, while I worked on my honours in Environmental Management at Stellenbosch University. I was ready to immerse myself in real-world challenges, and see how my studies would be brought to life. This blog post highlights how the learning experiences I participated in during 2024 showcase the potential of partnering to advance South Africa’s energy and climate agenda.

Leaning into learning

I joined the EDP with a goal to understand South Africa’s energy and climate landscape and identify its key stakeholders. I wanted to grow the EDP’s network of stakeholders by engaging individuals from marginalised communities who are often excluded from dialogues in the energy and climate space.

Siphamandla Mtyhobile joined the EDP team as an intern in the Energy & Climate programme in 2024. After a yearlong internship, he leaves the team having completed his honours in Environmental Management from Stellenbosch University to pursue additional work experience.

In light of this, I pitched an idea to the programme lead. I would attend every engagement in this space possible. Everything from events, conferences and workshops to learn as much as possible about this space and the people working in it. We decided to call these engagements learning experiences, because of the diversity and sheer volume happening in this space.

Over the year, I participated in more than 30 learning experiences. Each one addressed diverse themes, from the Just Transition and carbon credit markets to climate resilience and adaptive governance. Below I outline two such experiences, and share three key themes in the South African energy and climate space right now.

Learning experiences

• Solar Thermal Training and Demonstration Initiative (SOLTRAIN): This technical programme highlights the global demand for heating and cooling systems, emphasising the need for adaptive infrastructure in response to rising temperatures. SOLTRAIN, a European initiative collaborating with Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies (CRSES), proposed solar thermal installations in large infrastructure projects as one solution.
• Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) webinar: This webinar focused on South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET) and the challenges of balancing investment in communities, technology, and energy security. Discussions explored the human cost of transitioning away from coal and the need for reskilling, consultation, and community-led approaches.

Key themes from learning experiences

My learning experiences provided a high-level overview of emerging trends in the energy and climate sector:

• • JET financing flows in pathways that are not always present on the ground: While significant investments are flowing into JET projects in South Africa, much of this funding is managed by a small group of implementing agencies. This concentration risks excluding diverse and representative voices—a gap that collaborative intermediaries like the EDP aim to address.
  • Intersectionality in climate action: Climate resilience intersects with diverse positionalities in different ways, meaning that the effects of a changing climate are not equitably or equally experienced. This highlights the importance of inclusive approaches when convening stakeholders for climate change. Learning about tools like the Youth Explorer, developed by the South African Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) at UCT, demonstrated the action towards ensuring marginalised voices are heard in climate discussions.
  • Realigning on mandatory Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): The shift from voluntary to mandatory NDCs presented an opportunity for collective sense-making among government, scientific communities, and local stakeholders. South Africa, warming at twice the global rate, faces an urgent need to pivot from mitigation to local-level adaptation. While these NDCs were initially outlined to be voluntary, collective sense-making must take place again as they shift to being mandatory.

Experience in learning

The lesson that came out strongly for me in participating in these learning experiences was the biases we bring to energy and climate discussions. All the stakeholders working in this space are shaped by their views and respective positionalities (including me!). It was exciting to be afforded the opportunity to experience this learning in a different way; in a way that shifted my own perspective about the energy and climate space in South Africa. Learning in this way also underscored the need for deep listening and co-creation between stakeholders to ensure that top-down approaches don’t alienate communities most affected by climate change. This is the reason one of the most inspiring engagements I participated in was the Climate Change Gender Action Plan: it showcased how diverse perspectives can enrich solutions.

For any intern entering their first role, I encourage you to seize every opportunity to attend events and learn. These experiences provide practical insights that complement academic knowledge, helping you grow both personally and professionally. Working alongside a dedicated team of partnering practitioners in the energy and climate space has solidified my desire to pursue a master’s in sustainable urban practice. My ultimate goal is to contribute to building sustainable, equitable, and resilient urban-rural communities through innovative green infrastructure solutions.

Acknowledgements:

The author extends gratitude to Simon Mayson, Kelly Alcock, and Alexandrea Roberts for their mentorship and support throughout this transformative year. This blog post is based on a presentation by Siphamandla Mtyhobile at an internal EDP learning meeting.

Editing: Natalie Tannous.

This blog post is subject to the following disclaimer.