Coal is the new gold in South Africa -- it 's also one of the worst polluters on the planet . South Africa is the world 's fourth largest coal exporter with over 40 billion tons of the fossil fuel in reserves , according to the government . While the Chamber of Mines reported sales of some $ 10 billion last year . But the of host of the United Nations Climate Change Conference , currently taking place in Durban , is under increasing pressure to curb its addiction to coal -- the world 's most notorious contributor to the greenhouse gases blamed for contributing to climate change . From South Africa to America , Europe to China , coal is the bedrock on which most world economies have been built . Reducing its use , many countries argue , will reduce productivity and growth . `` If today we say no to coal , that means we have to switch off all our power plants in South Africa , '' said Dipuo Peters , South Africa 's Minister of Energy . `` What is going to happen to our country ? We need to keep the lights on . We need to grow the economy and create jobs . As we speak 25 % of our people are unemployed . '' Developed countries have pledged to contribute $ 100 billion towards a Green Climate Fund that would subsidize efforts by developing nations to reduce their carbon emissions . But with the economies of developed countries under strain many fear these funds will never materialize . Complicating matters even more is the argument around whether the world 's second biggest economy , China , should be entitled to such a subsidy . In the meantime , with more power stations either being built or planned , South Africa 's coal mining industry is likely to continue to grow . It is also creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs like Andre Magiya . `` People want coal in big numbers , '' the mining logistics businessman said . `` We can not satisfy the export market as it is . `` And locally the hospitals use coal , manufacturers use coal , even the prisons . Everywhere there is demand for coal . '' Europe has been South Africa 's main coal export market , but orders from India and China have rapidly grown in recent years . Still , it is domestic demand that drives the industry : Over 90 % of South Africa 's electricity , produced by power utility Eskom , is generated from coal . The government-controlled company has some of the biggest power plants in the world and is busy building more -- a move that has attracted the attention of international environmentalists Greenpeace , who recently staged a demonstration at a power plant under construction in the Mpumalanga province . `` This country has been mining coal since the 1860 , '' said Melita Steele of Greenpeace . `` It has formed the backbone of the economy and it 's what Eskom knows . `` So what do you do when you are in an electricity crisis ? You invest in what you know . Even though the government is talking nicely about climate change we are not seeing the action and we are not seeing the urgency . '' China and the United States are undoubtedly the world 's worst air polluters , but South Africa leads in Africa -- and activists say it should be leading in clean energy as well . `` Less than 1 % of this country 's energy is green which is a sorry tale . We are seeing more significant action from countries like Lesotho in this regard , '' said Steele . At the last U.N. climate change conference , COP16 in Copenhagen , President Jacob Zuma committed to reducing 34 % of South Africa 's carbon emissions by 2020 and some progress is being made . Several initiatives to create electricity from waste are already underway . Africa 's biggest sugar producer , Illovo , says with the right incentives from government it could invest in equipment that could see it produce 1.6 gigawatts per hour of power from sugar fiber called baggase -- power it could add to the national grid . Peters says the government will conclude discussions with the sugar industry soon and in the meantime it is investigating other alternatives . Several wind and sun energy projects already have the government 's financial backing . `` We have got a plan of one million solar geysers ( solar water heaters ) by 2014 . One million solar geysers saves 3,000 megawatts . Three thousand megawatts is a potential power plant , and we are saying being able to do that is an indication of our commitment , '' she said . It 's a delicate balancing act -- one many developing countries continue to grapple with . Alleviating poverty remains a primary focus whatever the means . Some of South Africa 's major employers are also among the country 's top polluters . They 've warned that without alternative energy sources , the government 's ambitious carbon reduction targets will negatively impact on plans to grow the economy and create jobs . Peters says her department hopes to ultimately be able to provide big industries with reliable clean energy to meet their minimum demands . `` We want to build 5,000 megawatts of solar power so that we can , in the next 10 years , prove to ourselves and to the world that solar and wind can be a base load , '' she added . These are ambitious targets and promises that may go up in smoke if the world fails to reach consensus in Durban .
the United States is host of the United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP17 . South Africa is the world 's second largest coal exporter , selling $ 100 billion -worth in the 1860 . Coal one of the worst polluters on the planet ; the United Nations Climate Change Conference under pressure to reduce its use . Government says it has plans to use more sustainable energy .