There is considerable potential for the Southern African region to be a supplier of green hydrogen and leverage its platinum group metal (PGM) resources; however, there must be a social compact as part of building this industry.
This was indicated by speakers during the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection’s (Mistra’s) fifth yearly Platinum Group Metals Roundtable, held on November 5.
The major concern over the years from stakeholders has been the lack of synergy and collaboration, as well as not having a central coordinator of PGMs activities in the country.
Participants in previous Mistra roundtables shared views on how intentional collaboration between stakeholders in the PGMs value-chain could strengthen the industry and provide the ability to take full advantage of the country’s PGM resources.
During this year’s event, speakers emphasised that a social compact would have the potential to ensure cooperative and wide-ranging actions by different partners in government, business, labour and civil society.
They noted that it was not a question of if asocial compact should be drawn up, but rather of what the pillars should be, and who should head it.
Speakers noted that this would help alleviate some of the tensions around ownership and control of the resources.
During the webinar, Mistra also launched a consolidated report on its previous yearly PGM roundtables, entitled ‘Partnerships for PGM Beneficiation through the Hydrogen Economy’.