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The political economy of energy transitions in Africa

Amidst the global energy transition agenda, policymakers face difficult trade-offs between decarbonization and other objectives in the development of their energy sectors. The global energy transition agenda has thus added new dimensions to the political economy of energy with struggles over the sources of energy and the types of energy technologies. Many African governments have adopted supportive renewable energy policies and set targets for increasing the shares of renewables in their energy mix. However, implementation has lagged and progress towards the transition to renewable sources of energy varies substantially among countries in the region. Such discrepancies have led to calls for more knowledge about the political dynamics affecting energy transitions.

This proposed panel will consider papers that explore the political and political economy drivers of energy and energy transitions in different countries and contexts. The panel will consider papers that explore how relations between global, national, and local political dynamics affect the transition to cleaner forms of energy in Africa. This includes papers that explore the influence of development donors and international finance, private sector investments, state bureaucracies, and local populations. In addition, we welcome papers that explore the roles of electoral politics and ‘reform coalitions’, as well as how the interests and ideas of dominant actors (e.g. development donors, political elites) have shaped progress towards the transition to renewable energy in Africa. Overall, the papers are expected to contribute to a better understanding of the varied and country-specific political dynamics affecting energy transitions on the continent.

Please, submit your abstract (200-250 words) and contact information to rhp@diis.dk no later than 11 March 2024.

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