The exploitation of Africa’s green energy transition

The state of Africa’s transition to renewable energy is anything but positive. While the continent is home to bountiful wind and solar potential, not to mention the raw materials like cobalt that are needed to make green energy possible, progress toward a green energy future has been uneven at best.

South Africa, the continent’s most industrialized country, is a prime example of the dire state of green energy. The country of roughly 60 million is the world’s 13th-biggest source of climate-warming greenhouse gases and gets more than 80 percent of its electricity from coal. Across the continent, there is less reliance on coal and more on natural gas and hydropower. But overall, the use of renewables remains well below the global average. As the latest round of international climate talks, known as COP27, is about to start in Egypt, it is time to take a hard look at how climate change will unevenly affect Africa and what anyone can do about it.

South Africa’s energy woes stem from its network of aging coal-fired power plants operated by the national electric utility, Eskom. After nearly a decade of mismanagement and corruption under former President Jacob Zuma, Eskom cannot keep the lights on. Power plants regularly break down, resulting in rolling blackouts, known locally as “load shedding.” The energy shortage is taking a heavy toll on the economy, as load shedding can mean several hours without power each day.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has made the power crisis his government’s top priority, but it has been tricky. Ramaphosa is looking to foreign investors and governments for the capital needed to fund South Africa’s shift toward renewable energy. The South African government is in the process of negotiating $8.5 billion in climate grants and concessional loans with wealthy nations. This transition and its financing was a major topic of discussion at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow and will be on the agenda again in Sharm El-Sheikh.

As a bid to pressure governments into honoring their commitments, South Africa plans to use COP27 as a platform to call for deeper support of “just transitions” in Africa, starting with energy transitions. According to Environment Minister Barbara Creecy, South Africa will advocate for the establishment of a people-centered Just Energy Transition Financing Framework. In comments to the South African press, Creecy argued that COP27 should be seen as an “implementation COP,” including by ensuring that the gap between climate finance pledges and actual flow was closed.

The point about wealthier countries supporting just energy transitions in the emerging world is the right theme for COP27. There is growing concern (and anger) that rich countries are continuing traditions of exploitation in Africa when it comes to energy transitions.

As a home to the vital raw materials needed for green energy projects, African nations continue to see their resources shipped off to places like China and Europe with little care given to local needs. Moreover, Africa’s population is rapidly growing and urbanizing, which makes extreme weather events caused by climate change a major concern for authorities across the continent. Africa is one of the world’s least-developed continents and produces only about 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Yet it will suffer disproportionately from climate change.

These challenges will be addressed during COP27. Undoubtedly, there will be grand promises and pledges made to African nations for help in funding green energy.

It is unlikely, however, that these promises will be fully realized in the long term. At best, rich nations will pledge loan support to countries like South Africa in their green energy transitions, but such initiatives do not get to the root causes of the problem, nor do they protect future generations. The sordid history of exploitation by outside forces continues in Africa under the guise of climate change and global green energy transitions. Setting the course for a greener future will need to factor this reality into future plans.