Sustainable Energy Discourse: Prosperity and Climate Change Actions in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Sustainable development is, by and large, tied to energy services, and as the world’s economic growth is realized, the use of energy is also increasing. In the coming decades, most of the energy demand will come from the developing world due to these countries’ increased population and economic activities. Energy use will increase in domestic, commercial, and industrial applications. The ongoing shift in energy sources in the transport sector, potentially from fossil fuel dominance to electric-powered vehicles, is likely to come with its own challenges. All these would require a sustainable energy supply. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), in particular, is in the midst of facing the challenges of the energy trilemma: ensuring the security and reliable supply of energy, providing energy services at affordable cost, and investing in sustainable options such as renewable energy or decarbonizing fossil fuel assets. Sustainability language speaks to reducing carbon emissions that result in climate change impacts, where SSA is most impacted as it has limited capacity to adapt and deal with these impacts. Looking at this discourse, where there is increasing pressure from the international community to limit climate change impacts through investing more in clean energy options, and the fact that SSA needs to achieve economic growth makes the discourse challenging. Policymakers would need to balance local and international policies on climate change and look at various options to adapt to this via available resources and technology options.

Keywords: Sustainability, Prosperity, Climate Change, Sustainable Energy, Policies, Sub-Saharan Africa.

DOI: 10.7176/JETP/14-2-07

Publication date: July 28^th 2024