Image credit: IRENA ( International Renewable Energy Agency)

Call for written evidence for new policy inquiry:

UK-African Partnerships for Just Energy Transitions in Africa

The UK’s All Party Parliamentary Group for Africa, supported by the Royal African Society and Oxfam, is undertaking a new parliamentary policy inquiry into UK-African Partnerships and Just Energy Transitions.  (See inquiry objectives and terms of reference below).  The written and oral evidence received by the inquiry will inform the inquiry report complete with policy recommendations which will be submitted to HM Government for response. Those that submit evidence will be invited to attend the formal report launch in parliament in Spring 2024.

The parliamentary committee of inquiry led by Lord Jonny Oates are seeking to gather a diversity of knowledge and experience by way of written submissions, on all/any of the below points:

1. How to address the challenge of energy poverty in Africa in line with the continent’s development needs, the principles of a just transition and continental and global climate targets for emissions reductions.
2. The benefits and threats to Africa from the global clean energy transition and the national and international factors enabling and constraining the supply of clean energy and improved energy access.
3. Changing patterns of energy demand and supply in Africa and the impact these have on the economy, society and the climate.
4. The contribution a) different types of renewable energy and b) the continued use and/or exploration of fossil fuels could make to addressing energy poverty and achieving just and developmental energy transition in Africa. What are the costs and benefits of each and how feasible are they politically, technically, and economically?
5. Case study examples and evidence of (a) just and (b) unjust energy transition initiatives in Africa and details of what made them so.
6. The role and limitations of Private & Public finance in supporting and delivering the clean energy transition. How can providers ensure that their finance and investments contribute to a just energy transition and mitigate any associated environmental or social harms that might arise?
7. How can African states governance, legal, policy and financial frameworks best support a just and developmentally friendly energy transition, and how can countries dependent on fossil fuels make the transition? What changes need to be made?
8. The changes needed to UK government policy in relation to domestic mitigation, climate finance, trade and investment, business regulation policies to better support just transitions. Please include any examples and case studies of good practice from other high-income countries or regional blocs.
9. The changes needed to the policies of multilateral institutions and development banks for them to best better support a just, clean, and developmental energy transition for Africa.

Please ensure your written submission:

• Is no more than 3000 words, includes an executive summary and makes clear which points your submissions is addressing.
• Where appropriate, references other sources.
• Includes some background information about your experience of, or interest in, Just Energy Transitions.
• If you are willing to be contacted, includes your contact details should the inquiry committee like to follow up.
• Is submitted before the deadline: Monday 21^st August 2023
• Is sent to Hetty Bailey-Morgan (Secretariat to the inquiry and APPG for Africa) at hb28@soas.ac.uk

For more information on the inquiry please contact Hetty Bailey-Morgan (hb28@soas.ac.uk) and follow us on twitter @RoyAfriSoc @AfricaAPPG

How we will use your data and submitted evidence:

• All written evidence submitted to the APPG inquiry will be made publically available by the Royal African Society in the digital archives of the inquiry report.
• Any quotes or extracts will be attributed to the authors of the written evidence and made clear in citations and footnotes. NB- Quotes from third parties may also be included and cited.
• Full names and the affiliated organisation of those that submit evidence will be listed in the acknowledgements of the report.
• Submitting evidence to this inquiry confirms you are happy to consent to this use of your data.

Please explicitly state in the submissions email accompanying your evidence if this is not the case.  Otherwise contact us at baileyh@parliament.uk before 19^th December 2023 if you would like certain parts of the submission omitted.

Inquiry Objectives and Terms of Reference:

The Inquiry objectives are to:

1. Increase public awareness of Africa’s energy requirements and options for meeting them
2. Educate British parliamentarians on the range of interlocking issues that are involved,
3. Provide an opportunity for them and the wider public to hear African views on what a just, clean and developmental transition means for them, and from industry and investors on how changes can be achieved in practice,
4. Influence government policy by presenting fact-based analysis and clear recommendations, presenting them to government and putting them in the public domain,
5. Thereby help deliver increased international support to African countries pursuing energy transition strategies.

Inquiry Terms of Reference

• To seek a wide range of expert views from researchers and practitioners, especially from Africa, on the factors affecting Africa’s energy supply: the needs, constraints, options and objectives
• To examine and assess the alternative ways of swiftly addressing the challenge of energy poverty in Africa, through renewables and other sources of energy (including the role of hydrocarbon ), and how to finance the necessary investments
• To consider how Africa can manage its energy transition consistent with the principles of a just transition, the continents development needs and continental and global climate targets for emissions, resilience and adaptation
• To recommend where appropriate policy and action for the British government, investors and private sector actors.