www.visibleearth.nasa.gov
Africa is on the up, with the International Monetary Fund forecasting growth of 6.1% next year compared to a global average of 4%.
However, chronic energy shortages mean that Africa is still very much the ‘Dark Continent’, with satellite maps showing a land in shadow next to the burning lights of Europe.
According to a report by the World Bank, the lack of reliable electricity represents a key barrier to development:
“School children often cannot read after dusk, businesses cannot grow, clinics cannot refrigerate medicine or vaccines, and industries are idled hampering economic growth, jobs, and livelihoods.”
So it is clear that Africa needs more energy, but the key challenge will be to achieve this increase in a way that does not heighten emissions from a continent acutely vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
This is where the energy equation comes in, with the future of African prosperity dependent on meeting this formula:
Increased energy supply (x) + no rise in emissions (y) = sustainable prosperity (z)
Clearly, the difficulty comes when we consider what is currently seen as the best way to achieve x – increased fossil fuel extraction. Indeed, the resource potential of Africa is widely recognised, with Nigeria set to become the third largest supplier of natural gas in the coming years.
