ENERGÍA SUCIA EN ÁFRICA

This report by Friends of the Earth International examines the impacts of 'dirty energy'—including coal, oil, gas, nuclear, and mega-dams—across the African continent. It argues that these energy systems exacerbate climate change, cause severe health and environmental damage, and fail to provide universal energy access, while often benefiting corporate elites over local communities.

• Sub-Saharan Africa is the most electricity-poor region globally, with over 620 million people (two-thirds of the population) lacking electricity access and nearly 730 million people relying on inefficient and unhealthy cooking fuels such as biomass.
• South Africa is heavily dependent on coal, which provides nearly 90% of its electricity and 77% of its primary energy needs. This reliance is centered in Mpumalanga's Highveld, where Eskom operates 12 of the world's largest and most polluting coal plants, contributing to high rates of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in surrounding communities.
• The Maghreb region is a focal point for dirty energy infrastructure, with Algeria serving as the second largest external supplier of natural gas to Europe, exporting approximately 84% of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) via pipelines. In Morocco, the Ouarzazate solar plant has been criticized as 'green land grabbing' for acquiring 3,000 hectares of community and grazing lands in a semi-arid region.
• Uganda is expanding its oil sector with production licenses issued in August 2016 to Tullow Operations Pty Ltd, Total E&P Uganda BV, and CNOOC Uganda Ltd. The Albertine Graben region may contain up to 6.5 billion barrels of oil, but extraction threatens high biodiversity, including the mountain gorilla, and may exacerbate land grabbing.
• Mega-dams in Africa, such as the proposed Mphanda Nkuwa dam on the Zambezi River in Mozambique, are criticized for causing mass displacement and environmental damage. The Mphanda Nkuwa project is estimated to cost over $2.3 billion and may displace 1,400 households, with 85% of its generated electricity intended for export rather than local use.
• Nigeria possesses some of the world's largest reserves of 'bitumen' (non-conventional oil sands), estimated at 38 billion barrels. The Nigerian government has supported exploitation in Ondo state through a Joint Operating Agreement with a subsidiary of the US company Liquefied Resources to produce 10,000 barrels daily, despite a lack of environmental impact assessments.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2016). ENERGÍA SUCIA EN ÁFRICA. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/DIRTY-ENERGY-IN-AFRICA-ES-FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. ENERGÍA SUCIA EN ÁFRICA. 2016. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/DIRTY-ENERGY-IN-AFRICA-ES-FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=ENERGÍA SUCIA EN ÁFRICA |date=November 2016 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/DIRTY-ENERGY-IN-AFRICA-ES-FINAL.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2016energa, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{ENERGÍA SUCIA EN ÁFRICA}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2016}, month = nov, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/DIRTY-ENERGY-IN-AFRICA-ES-FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }