A JUST TRANSITION

Cameroonian author and entrepreneur Ayuk’s follow-up to Billions at Play (2019) offers a vision for plentiful and sustainable energy for Africa.

This book centers the needs of African countries in the discussion of fossil fuel usage and renewable energy. The author points out that a significant portion of the continent lives in energy poverty, with insufficient access to basic electricity, and he argues that focusing on expensive forms of renewable energy, such as solar or wind power, doesn’t provide a feasible path forward. Instead, the book recommends using gas to bring the entirety of Africa up to an acceptable level, with a stable power grid and sufficient electricity to meet current demand; this, he says, will allow for improved infrastructure, economic performance, and development that will make renewable energy possible in the medium term. The book addresses the many problems with the West’s current approach to development in Africa, showing how foreign aid and misguided investments have often prevented African countries from meeting their own needs, and offers concrete suggestions for a viable program of electrification, economic development, and capacity building that will lead to climate-friendly energy production. Ayuk is a strong writer, and he makes his arguments concisely and persuasively. His book takes a comprehensive approach to identifying the problems with current plans that focus on emissions reduction, but the well-organized narrative keeps it from becoming sprawling or unwieldy. The author explains why meeting current energy needs should be the continent's priority and demonstrates, with plenty of evidence, how the short-term use of fossil fuels can ultimately lead to a sustainably sourced energy infrastructure. He also addresses questions of governance, finance, human rights, and planning, acknowledging challenges and encouraging Western countries to embrace Africa as a full-scale partner in its own development. Nonexperts will find the text persuasive and easy to follow.

A well-argued case for rethinking a continent’s energy future.