The book Achieving Sustainable Energy for All in Africa addresses the role of law in securing energy access for huge numbers of people in Africa who live without the benefit of modern energy services. Contributions to the book offer a variety of legal and socio-legal perspectives on the subject of energy access, describing the dire situation of energy poverty on the African continent and emphasizing its implications for overall development. Specific themes addressed include the concept of energy justice, the international human rights framework for advancing the notion of a right to energy, and the role of regulation and legal reform in achieving the desired levels of energy access. In particular, attention is focused on the use of law and policy to create an enabling environment, including appropriate dispute resolution mechanisms, for the financing of energy infrastructure and the development of new forms of energy. In relation to the latter, key considerations for constituting intellectual property governance regimes that promote access to relevant technology are canvassed. Furthermore, the disproportionate impact of energy poverty on women, children, and disabled persons is highlighted in the context of the limitations of existing law and the growing recognition of this reality in emerging legal interventions. The environmental dimension, which similarly affects these vulnerable population groups, is directed at the water-energy nexus, critical to the provision of clean water and clean energy. The focus on Nigeria and South Africa in some chapters reflects the institutional collaboration from which this volume has emerged.
A Review of Energy Communities in Sub-Saharan Africa as a Transition Pathway to Energy Democracy
