The implications of the SADC energy access strategy and action plan on peace, security and development in the region

Abstract

The study addresses the issues related to climate change, energy production (traditional biomass and fossil fuels) as well as the potential of exploring renewable energy sources. The area of focus is the SADC region; this paper evaluates the implementation of the SADC Energy Access Strategy and Action Plan. It is an energy policy that was widely accepted and ratified by SADC member states in March 2010. The study is narrowed down to focus on the implementation of this policy in three SADC countries with different levels of energy consumption. These countries are South Africa with 80% of national energy consumption, Lesotho with 18% of national energy consumption and Mauritius which has 99.9% of national energy consumption. This study argues that the SADC Energy Access Strategy and Action Plan has implications for peace, security and development in the region. This is evident in climate change being an issue of emergency, more emphasis has been put on the use of renewable energy as opposed to fossil fuels and traditional biomass, which affects the climate and contributes to global warming. Renewable energy reduces carbon dioxide emissions and global warming.SADC leaders had to come up with ways to adapt to climate change and its effects; this gave birth to the SADC Energy Access Strategy and Action Plan in March 2010. The Action Plan came in as a solution to the energy crisis and as a strategy to realign the SADC energy sector to that of the world. The study further argues that Africa, and in particular SADC region has abundant renewable energy resources (solar energy, wind energy, hydro energy.etc), much of which are still untapped, yet have the capacity to supply the region with renewable energy for decades. The findings of the study confirm that SADC Energy Access Strategy and Action Plan indeed has implications for Peace, Security and Development in the region. The lack of proper planning, commitment and funds, as well as investments into the energy sector hinder the development of the regional energy sector and energy access projects. The SADC region has the potential to meet the energy demands and to venture into the use of renewable energy.