(Un)Just transition in power generation: neoliberal reforms and climate crisis in Sudan

ABSTRACT

Given the undisputable reality of climate change, this article explores Sudan's power generation and its approach to the current climate crisis, focusing on the perspective of a just energy transition. It highlights how the power sector's plans remain centralised, favouring urban consumerism, cost-driven energy sources, and inadequate social and environmental evaluations with limited community involvement. Furthermore, the absence of timely adaptation measures has left off-grid populations and those displaced by hydroelectric dams disproportionately vulnerable to worsening climate conditions, loss of traditional livelihoods, and conflicts over dwindling natural resources. This exacerbates instability and regional development disparities. The article advocates for a just energy transition in Sudan that not only reduces CO₂ emissions but also minimises adverse impacts on local ecosystems and livelihoods. It suggests a blend of distributed and utility-scale renewable energy sources alongside existing hydro-thermal capacity. It also calls for prioritising power supply to off-grid communities through socially driven financing mechanisms, countering the neoliberal push for privatisation and full-cost recovery.

RÉSUMÉ

À la lumière de la réalité incontestable du changement climatique, cet article explore la production d'électricité au Soudan et son lien avec la crise climatique actuelle, en se concentrant sur la perspective d'une transition énergétique juste. Il souligne que les plans du secteur de l'électricité restent centralisés, favorisant le consumérisme urbain, les sources d'énergie couteuses et des évaluations sociales et environnementales insuffisantes, le tout avec une implication citoyenne limitée. En outre, l'absence de mesures d'adaptation opportunes a rendu les populations non connectées au réseau et celles déplacées par les barrages hydroélectriques disproportionnellement vulnérables à l'aggravation des conditions climatiques, à la perte de leurs moyens de subsistance traditionnels et aux conflits liés à l'épuisement des ressources naturelles. Cette situation exacerbe ainsi l'instabilité et les disparités régionales en matière de développement. L'article plaide en faveur d'une transition énergétique juste au Soudan, qui permette non seulement de réduire les émissions de CO2, mais aussi de minimiser les effets néfastes sur les écosystèmes locaux et les moyens de subsistance. Il propose un mélange de sources d'énergie renouvelables distribuées à grande échelle, ainsi que des capacités hydrothermales existantes. En outre, il appelle à donner la priorité à l'approvisionnement en électricité des communautés non connectées au réseau par le biais de mécanismes de financement sur critères sociaux, en s'opposant à la poussée néolibérale favorisant la privatisation et le recouvrement intégral des coûts.

RESUMO

À luz da realidade indiscutível das alterações climáticas, este artigo explora a geração de energia do Sudão e a sua ligação à atual crise climática, focando-se na perspetiva de uma transição energética justa. Sublinha a forma como os planos do setor energético permanecem centralizados, favorecendo o consumismo urbano, as fontes de energia orientadas para os custos e avaliações sociais e ambientais insuficientes com um envolvimento limitado da comunidade. Além do mais, a ausência de medidas de adaptação atempadas deixou populações fora da rede e comunidades deslocadas por barragens hídricas desproporcionalmente vulneráveis ao agravamento das condições climáticas, assim como à perda de meios de subsistência tradicionais e a conflitos em torno da diminuição dos recursos naturais. Isto, por sua vez, agrava a instabilidade e as disparidades de desenvolvimento regional. O artigo defende uma transição energética justa no Sudão que não só reduza as emissões de CO2, mas também minimize os impactos adversos nos ecossistemas e meios de subsistência locais. Sugere uma combinação de fontes de energia renováveis distribuídas e à escala dos serviços públicos juntamente com a capacidade hidrotérmica existente. Além disso, apela à priorização do fornecimento de energia às comunidades fora da rede através de mecanismos de financiamento de cariz social, contrariando o impulso neoliberal para a privatização e a recuperação a custos totais.

KEYWORDS:

• Climate change
• just energy transition
• colonial legacies
• liberalisation
• social development

MOTS-CLÉS:

• Changement climatique
• transition énergétique juste
• héritages coloniaux
• libéralisation
• développement social

PALAVRAS-CHAVE:

• Alterações climáticas
• Transição Energética Justa
• legados coloniais
• liberalização
• desenvolvimento social

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 South Sudan seceded and declared independence in 2011.

2 This article was written before the April 2023 war in Sudan.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah is an environmental researcher, political ecologist and activist, focusing on environmental and resource extraction issues, such as hydroelectric dam projects and gold mining, and interested in the correlation between environmental policies, questions of justice and markets drivers of conflict in different communities around Sudan. He is a researcher at the ISTinaD research centre in Khartoum, and a PhD candidate at Pantheon-Sorbonne University, Paris, France.

Razaz Basheir

Razaz H. Basheir is a researcher focusing on urban infrastructure in general, and energy infrastructure in particular. She is a PhD candidate at the African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town, South Africa, and a researcher at ISTinaD research centre in Khartoum. Email: [email protected]