Green jobs, livelihoods and the post-carbon economy in African cities

Abstract

This article examines the potential contribution of household scale off-grid renewable energy generation to the post-carbon economy. The large-scale focus of the green jobs agenda in high-income countries obscures how small-scale technologies can be a transformative source of employment in developing economies. Debates about what constitutes a green job and their value leaves out the everyday practice of green livelihoods carried out by the urban poor across the African continent in unfavourable institutional contexts where nonrenewable fuel is subsidised and renewable energy inputs are heavily taxed. The article presents experiences from field work in several countries, including Egypt, Nigeria and Kenya to provide practical examples of communities pursuing strategies of income generation, community empowerment and environmental preservation. We argue that scholars and practitioners concerned with both social justice and environmental preservation should embrace a definition of green jobs that is bottom-up or people-centred. The grassroots experiences highlighted illustrate the important role of non-governmental organisations in supporting transformative, locally sustainable green employment and livelihoods by piloting demonstration projects, fostering innovation, conducting research, forming coalitions and engaging in advocacy when local institutions and market conditions make both consumers and providers risk averse to off-grid renewable energy adoption.

Keywords:

• green jobs
• livelihoods
• biofuel
• informal economy
• Africa

Notes

Also see Tinker's (1994) foreword to Egziabher et al. (1994).

See Chambers (1995) and Chayanov 1991 [1927] for discussions of poverty and livelihoods and peasant strategies of self-sufficiency vs. formal jobs and profit-making enterprises.

Solar C³ITIES was established by co-author Thomas Culhane and his wife during the decade he lived in Egypt and completed dissertation fieldwork. It has no paid employees. Activities for the past 2 years have been funded by Blackstone Ranch/National Geographic Innovation Challenge Grant and individual contributions (Also see Rosner 2011, Cairo360 2012).

See Tversky and Kahneman (1981).

Solar C³ITIES co-founder Culhane travelled to Pune India on a US Embassy grant in January of 2009 and learned about household-scale biodigester technology suitable for urban areas from Dr Anand Karve of the Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI).

To compare, the USA, with less than double the population of Nigeria, has an installed generating capacity of over 1 million megawatts (see Edison Electric Institute 2012).

Co-author Acey received a grant from Ohio State University Office of International Affairs to carry out this research in 2010.

See Acey (2008, 2010).

The authors learned of the campaign during conversation with Faith Nwadishi, Executive Director of Koyenum Immalah Foundation, during a visit to their offices in August 2010.

Wanjihia, Dominic. Interview by author (Thomas Culhane). Handwritten notes. Nairobi, Kenya. April 3, 2011.