Recent developments in Africa have cast a spotlight on a growing dissonance between the Western model for energy transition and the unique realities of emerging economies in the Global South.
The issue is that the prevailing approach, often championed by the Global North, overlooks the socio-economic complexities that define many countries in our region.
As the urgency to make substantial climate progress intensifies, the Global North has increasingly sought to dictate the pace and process of global decarbonisation. However, this top-down approach risks undermining the development prospects of countries in the Global South and could jeopardise the long-term effectiveness and popularity of emissions reduction efforts.
It is crucial for emerging markets to adopt energy strategies that align with their specific realities and address the needs and priorities of their citizens – which include electrification, infrastructure development, and economic growth, not just decarbonisation.
Without this tailored approach, the energy transition could become yet another form of neocolonialism, where the Global North's agenda takes precedence over the Global South's development needs and creates a cycle of top-down dependency.
For the energy transition to be successful in the Global South, there needs to be a substantial increase in financial support, but more importantly, this support must be structured in a way that empowers local agencies rather than imposing external solutions.
The prevailing approach risks entrenching existing inequalities, where the Global North dictates the terms of the transition, leaving the Global South to deal with the consequences.
Positive steps were made in this direction at COP28 in the UAE last year. This development is an encouraging sign that real progress can be unlocked through global collaboration at a government level.
Meanwhile, industry-led events, such as the upcoming Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (Adipec) event, offer a similar platform for private sector leaders to forge new partnerships and outline new pathways to ensuring a balanced and equitable transition. With a clear focus on elevating voice from the Global South, this year’s Adipec should hopefully set the tone for continued conversations on the energy needs and priorities of every community.
The significant progress made in the loss and damage negotiations led to the establishment of a new fund to provide developing countries with essential financial support.
In practice, this promises to grant Global South nations better agency in the allocation and use of these funds – a first step towards tipping the balance back in their favour.
To avoid the pitfalls of a top-down energy transition, countries in the Global South must assert their agency and develop strategies that are tailored to their specific circumstances.
This means prioritising projects that address local needs, such as access to reliable and affordable energy, job creation, and economic growth. It also means engaging local communities in the planning and implementation of energy projects to ensure that, beyond being beneficiaries, they are active participants in the transition.
In alignment with this need to balance growth, sustainability, and agency in efforts to fast-track the Global South’s energy transition journey, international support should focus on building local capacity and fostering innovation to enable the creation of more equitable, sustainable, and culturally relevant solutions that are grounded in the lived realities of communities.
This includes investing in education and training programmes to develop the skills needed for a green economy.
The writer is CEO of Uganda National Oil Company
, as well as supporting research and development in renewable energy technologies that are suitable for the specific conditions of these regions. The energy transition is not a one-size-fits-all process. For it to be effective, it must be tailored to the diverse realities of countries in the Global South. This requires a shift in how the Global North engages with these countries, moving away from a prescriptive approach to one that is collaborative and supportive of local agencies. Only by doing so can we ensure that the energy transition contributes to both global climate goals and the sustainable development of emerging economies. Without this change, the energy transition risks becoming yet another obstacle to the development of the Global South, rather than a pathway to a more sustainable and equitable future.
