CESET Co-investigators - Marcus Power, Lorraine Howe, Joshua Kirshner and Carlos Shenga - have published a new article in the Journal of Applied Geography entitled "Uneven development and the geographies of energy transition in Mozambique".
In Mozambique, sustainable energy access is an increasing priority for a diverse range of actors seeking to improve livelihoods and stimulate economic development—particularly in rural areas where energy infrastructure remains limited. Drawing on field research conducted as part of a comparative three-year project examining the potential of community energy systems to foster inclusive, just, and clean energy transitions in Southern and East Africa, this paper develops a critical, policy-relevant and geographically grounded analysis of Mozambique's energy transitions, which are unfolding across multiple fronts.
Their analysis addresses both the move away from conventional or ‘traditional’ energy sources to ‘modern’ energy services, and the shift toward renewable energy technologies. They argue that while Mozambique has taken important steps toward a cleaner energy future there remain significant constraints to progress and that it is crucial to consider the advancement of renewable energy in relation to the country's embedded resource and extractive geographies that shape the directions, possibilities, and spatial dynamics of transition. They examine the broader policy environment, focusing on the state's energy transition strategy and its implications for energy justice, spatial inequality, and economic opportunity. Particular attention is given to the role and potential of decentralized, off-grid energy systems, emphasizing the need for greater community participation in both policy design and implementation.
Finally, they develop a political economy framework to analyse the influence of state institutions, international donors, and private capital in shaping Mozambique's energy transitions, and assess their impacts on energy poverty and the goal of equitable, sustainable energy access.
