In May this year, Atlantis SEZ was honoured to participate in the Just Transition Dialogue, hosted by the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) in collaboration with the University of Cape Town (UCT).
This global exchange series, part of a two-part dialogue on just transitions to net zero emissions, began in Barcelona in 2024 and concluded here in Cape Town. As part of the Cape Town leg, we were proud to host the international delegation on the second day, providing a first-hand view of our work and impact in Atlantis. The visit included guided tours of Zone 1 of the Atlantis Special Economic Zone, a stop at one of our investors, Mint & Honey, and a walk through the local informal settlement, highlighting the unique social and environmental context that informs our work.
The insights shared during the dialogue have culminated in the recently released publication: “Reflections on global enablers of just transitions to net zero emissions“, featuring contributions from over 30 global experts, including our own. This report highlights real-world examples of how organisations like Atlantis SEZ are enabling inclusive, practical, and locally rooted climate action.
An important insight from the report is the notion of “political frontiers”, essentially meaning, “barriers and obstacles within national or international political systems that hinder effective climate action at the scale needed to adequately respond to the global climate crisis. These frontiers manifest differently across scales. Many countries face limits to climate action defined by their domestic political economies. At an international scale, the United Nations (UN) climate regime hits political frontiers, and is limited by an uncertain geopolitics, which is currently fragmenting.”
The report highlights the importance of building new narratives around sustainable futures that can inspire the transition, with the focus and framing of the Atlantis SEZ being an example of how a transition to sustainable future might be achieved through manufacturing.
“A vision of a good life, or the possibility for communities to reflect on it, is essential to implement just transitions. If people cannot imagine a better life, they will not want to mobilise. A vision of a good life under 1.5°C in 2050 is a powerful motivator. Such a vision includes the right to develop in a sustainable manner. Parents want their children to have a better life, and so do children. This means the vision has to extend beyond issues such as fossil fuel transitions and encompass new socio-economic and maybe political, paradigms.”
Read the full publication on IDDRI’s website here.