Towards a prosperous and sustainable Africa: maximising the socio-economic gains of Africa’s energy transition

RES4Africa Foundation, IRENA and the UN Economic Commission for Africa have developed a joint report analysing the job and socioeconomic impact of clean energy investments on the African continent. Towards a prosperous and sustainable Africa: maximising the socio-economic gains of Africa’s energy transition identifies the opportunities Europe and Africa have to ensure a sustainable future for all while leaving no one behind. The report opens with a review of the socio-economic gains of sustainable energy access in Africa, followed by an assessment and quantification of the socio-economic potential of Africa’s energy transition in line with maintaining the global temperature increase under 1.5°C. The third chapter explores the role of private sector actors in supporting the sustainable transformation of Africa’s energy systems and its socio-economic progress. The report closes with a series of recommendations at the institutional, policy, financial and business levels to accelerate investments in clean energy technologies and maximise local value creation.