Developers in South Africa can now with a few keystrokes determine whether their projects align with the country’s just transition principles and qualify for just-transition financing.

The free, online Just Transition Finance tool, developed by Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (Tips), uses an evidence-based algorithm to assess a project’s credentials, by examining three objectives – climate, socioeconomic and community.

Tips research fellow Sandy Lowitt tells Engineering News that the three objectives can be used with equal success to assess multibillion-dollar projects or small-scale, community-based projects.

However, she advised that the tool is not a replacement for doing due diligence on a new project as it does not determine its commercial viability.

The tool offers two assessment gates  – a green or climate-led gate for climate-related initiatives and a socioeconomic improvement gate for social projects. No matter the gate, all project are assessed using the three objectives.

After completing the guided online submission process, applicants will be informed immediately if their project qualifies. If successful, the applicant is issued a certificate with a QR code. While Tips is still seeking formal recognition for its certification, it hopes the portal will speed up implementation of just transition projects and prevent so-called ‘just transition washing’ of unsuitable projects trying to access financing. The tool is accessible here.

27 January 2026
Image: Freepik