Energy Security in South America and Southern Africa: Synthesis Report

The report identifies rigid technological pathways and outdated institutional frameworks as primary obstacles to meeting climate mitigation goals in South America and Southern Africa. It argues that regional energy integration is superior to national reliance as it allows access to low-opportunity-cost resources from neighboring countries. The text emphasizes that transitioning to renewable technologies like solar and wind requires comprehensive system changes and strong government policy to overcome existing economic and regulatory lock-ins.

• The primary barriers to achieving climate mitigation imperatives in South Africa and South America are the presence of rigid technological pathways and outdated institutional and policy frameworks.
• Energy investments often create technological lock-ins that make transitioning to radically different sources, such as wind and solar, expensive and difficult unless all dimensions of the system are addressed.
• Regional energy integration is presented as a more effective alternative to national reliance because it enables access to energy resources from neighboring countries at lower opportunity costs.

APA

Kiratu,, S. (2011). Energy Security in South America and Southern Africa: Synthesis Report. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/energy-security-south-america-and-southern-africa-synthesis-report

Chicago

Kiratu,, Sheila. Energy Security in South America and Southern Africa: Synthesis Report. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2011. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/energy-security-south-america-and-southern-africa-synthesis-report.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kiratu, |first1=Sheila |title=Energy Security in South America and Southern Africa: Synthesis Report |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=1 March 2011 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/energy-security-south-america-and-southern-africa-synthesis-report |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kiratu2011energy, author = {Kiratu,, Sheila}, title = {{Energy Security in South America and Southern Africa: Synthesis Report}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2011}, month = mar, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/energy-security-south-america-and-southern-africa-synthesis-report}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }