Characterizing ‘injustices’ in clean energy transitions in Africa

Abstract

The global shift towards renewable energy sources presents promising prospects for environmental sustainability and social welfare. However, without proper management, this transition risks exacerbating disparities, creating winners and losers in the process. Achieving a just energy transition demands equitable distribution of benefits and costs alongside inclusive decision-making processes. Nonetheless, transition dynamics vary widely across contexts, necessitating a nuanced understanding of local specificities. This study identifies and characterizes injustices within renewable energy projects in Africa through a systematic review of 26 studies from 11 countries. Using content and thematic analysis supported by Atlas.ti software, various forms of injustice — distributive, procedural, recognition, and restorative — were delineated. Distributive injustices accounted for 58 % of all injustices, while procedural, restorative and recognition injustices accounted for 18 %, 15 %, and 9 %, respectively. Distributive injustices primarily arose from project siting, resource conflicts, the objectives of the renewable energy projects (grid stability vs local connectivity), and disparities in job creation. Procedural injustices manifested as regime dominance and limited community participation. Restorative injustices often manifested as inadequate mitigative measures and compensation, while marginalization and inadequate representation of vulnerable and minority groups underscored recognition injustices. The effects of these injustices included inequalities (49 %), resource dispossession (18 %), institutional lock-in (12 %), resource strains (6 %), and migration of labor force (6 %), among others. Additionally, the study highlights potentially misconstrued injustices arising from local communities' misunderstanding of the objectives and benefits of renewable energy projects in their localities. Overall, the findings underscore the subjective and context-specific nature of justice in energy transitions, emphasizing the need to consider contextual factors when delineating what injustices are in clean energy initiatives across diverse African contexts.