Fighting energy poverty means embracing a just transition

A statement by Friends of the Earth Africa arguing that fossil fuel extraction in Africa serves global elites and imperial powers rather than local populations, and calling for a just transition based on community-owned renewable energy and the payment of ecological debts.

• Fossil fuel extraction in Africa over the last 60 years has primarily served the global North and elites, resulting in severe environmental and social harms including oil pollution, gas flares, land grabs, and human rights abuses, while 600 million Africans lack energy and 700 million lack clean cooking energy.
• The document asserts that fossil fuel exploration does not bring development to African people, citing Mozambique as an example where exploitation of coal in Tete and gas in Inhambane and Cabo Delgado coincides with only 40% of the population having energy access.
• Friends of the Earth Africa advocates for a just transition centered on inclusive, community-owned clean energy projects and the rejection of gas as a transition fuel, suggesting such a path could create over 7 million jobs.
• The organization calls on African leaders to demand the transfer of technology and the payment of ecological debts from those responsible for the climate crisis in the form of grants rather than loans to fund adaptation, mitigation, and the transition to renewables.

APA

Fandel, G. (2024). Fighting energy poverty means embracing a just transition. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/embracing-a-just-transition-to-fight-energy-poverty/

Chicago

Fandel, Ghislaine. Fighting energy poverty means embracing a just transition. Friends of the Earth International, 2024. https://www.foei.org/embracing-a-just-transition-to-fight-energy-poverty/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Fandel |first1=Ghislaine |title=Fighting energy poverty means embracing a just transition |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=25 July 2024 |url=https://www.foei.org/embracing-a-just-transition-to-fight-energy-poverty/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{fandel2024fighting, author = {Fandel, Ghislaine}, title = {{Fighting energy poverty means embracing a just transition}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2024}, month = jul, url = {https://www.foei.org/embracing-a-just-transition-to-fight-energy-poverty/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }