To understand why South Africa is the continent's biggest greenhouse gas emitter, look to the vast coal-fired power stations that dot the plains of Mpumalanga province.
Mpumalanga has eight coal plants within a 100 kilometer radius and recent research showed it was the world's second-biggest sulphur dioxide emissions hot spot. Environmentalists have documented thousands of cases of pollution-related illness.
But as Africa's No. 2 economy seeks to break its near-total coal dependence, climate experts say Mpumalanga could serve as a test case for developing nations seeking to cut emissions while also benefiting their people — a so-called just transition.
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