Improving Energy Efficiency and Green Economy in Africa: Have we lost the Poverty Argument?

Abstract

There is no cheap renewable energy; majority of Africa economies exist below the poverty line and non-industrialized margin. How many Africans can afford the cost of a solar energy systems or wind energy station to burning local solid fuels, per se wood, for energy? In a green economy, growth in income and employment should be driven by public and private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution, enhance energy and resource efficiency, and prevent the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Using secondary data to answer the questions, the IPAT (Environmental Impact, I, Population, P, Affluence, A, and Technology, T) formula African’s position is unveiled by the index. There is imbalance among these four green economic factors. Discussed here are efforts to forestall improved energy efficiency which has not been empowered due to challenging factors from socio-economic, political and policy; Resource and efficient technology`s (RET) institutional framework and many others. Improving energy efficiency has much with making leverage as less effort is spent in exploitation, application and utilization of energy. The paper opines workable approaches to lift the welfare of many Africans in assessing and using energy, least we totally miss the poverty argument in the very near future.