The traditional concern of federalism literature has been both descriptive and prescriptive. How do federalist systems allocate powers among central, regional, and even local governments? How can these powers be divided in a manner that allows for unity and diversity in policymaking and law? These questions are given greater pertinence by the seriousness of climate change and the need for a just transition to lower-carbon economies. Classical federalism, public choice theory, and dynamic energy federalism all have something to offer in the field of clean energy federalism. This article situates the ‘functional federalism’ that arises from South Africa's multi-sphere system of government within these debates. The article explains the system of functional federalism in South Africa and details the tripartite structure (physical, market, and regulatory) of the South African electricity sector. By delineating the complex interactions that have unfolded between governmental and non-governmental actors in the electricity sector in recent times, the article demonstrates that the South African case will be of continuing interest to scholars of federalism.

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公正的能源转型和功能性联邦制：南非案例

联邦主义文学的传统关注点既是描述性的，也是规定性的。联邦制如何在中央、地区甚至地方政府之间分配权力？如何以允许政策制定和法律的统一性和多样性的方式划分这些权力？气候变化的严重性和向低碳经济公正过渡的必要性赋予了这些问题更大的针对性。古典联邦制、公共选择理论和动态能源联邦制都在清洁能源联邦制领域有所作为。本文将南非的多领域政府体系所产生的“功能联邦制”置于这些辩论中。文章解释了南非的功能联邦制，并详细介绍了三方结构（物理、市场、和监管）的南非电力部门。通过描述近期电力部门政府和非政府行为者之间展开的复杂互动，本文表明，南非的案例将继续引起联邦主义学者的兴趣。