The role of stakeholder engagement in the energy transition towards a more inclusive energy transition

Abstract

The mining industry's reliance on fossil fuel-generated energy significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, thus highlighting the urgent need for cleaner energy sources as part of global climate change mitigation efforts. While the decarbonisation pressures intensify, a key challenge lies in understanding how the role of stakeholder engagement can effectively drive this energy transition towards an inclusive transition, particularly within South Africa’s mining sector. Despite the investments by the mining companies, stakeholder engagement remains underexplored and underutilised, hence this study investigated its role in supporting a just energy transition. The study’s main objective was to explore how stakeholder engagement can promote a more inclusive and equitable energy transition within the mining industry. Through conducting interviews, it identified the opportunities, challenges, and gaps in the current practices while examining the role of various actors and stakeholders in the transition process. By addressing the constraints and power dynamics, as well as by assessing the potential of stakeholder mapping, the research study provided practical and theoretical insights into how effective stakeholder engagement can drive a sustainable energy transition in the mining sector. The key findings revealed significant constraints, including but not limited to community exclusion, the misalignment between policy and implementation, and the potential of stakeholder mapping to improve engagement. The study concluded by proposing a framework for more inclusive and equitable stakeholder engagement, aiming to guide the mining industry towards a more sustainable and just energy transition.