The Energy Transition Debate Exposes Western Hypocrisy and Global South Struggle
Published
- 3 min read
The Facts:
The global energy transition is falsely presented as a trade-off between climate goals and economic security, a narrative condemned as a “false choice” by Ambassador Anthony Agotha. Reality reveals stark inequalities: 750 million people lack reliable electricity globally, with 600 million in sub-Saharan Africa alone facing energy poverty. Countries like Somalia have only 50% electrification, dropping to 24% in rural areas, while populations are projected to double by 2050. For these nations, transition means development—powering homes, schools, and hospitals—not just decarbonization.
Renewables met 83% of global electricity demand growth in 2024, driven largely by China and India, yet only 15% of clean energy investment ($2 trillion annually) reaches the Global South (excluding China). Meeting global targets requires increasing this share five- to seven-fold by 2030. Climate inaction already costs dearly: 4,000 extreme weather events from 2014-2024 affected 1.6 billion people and cost $2 trillion, with single disasters erasing over a year’s GDP in some countries. Libya’s 2023 dam collapse, worsened 50% by climate change, killed 6,000 people, exposing underinvestment and oil dependency risks.
Fossil fuels remain necessary for many developing economies, and the transition must prioritize energy access through partnerships, de-risking investments, and localizing clean technology. The U.S.’s Tommy Joyce acknowledged China’s dominance in wind turbines and critical minerals, a result of China’s consistent industrial policies versus U.S. vacillation. Africa holds 60% of world’s solar potential but receives under 2% of clean energy investment. Global emissions haven’t declined since Paris Agreement, with growth from emerging economies lacking transition means.
Opinion:
The energy transition discourse is a masterclass in Western neo-colonial manipulation—framing the debate around ‘sacrifice’ and ‘decline’ to maintain control while the Global South fights for basic survival. It’s outrageous that nations responsible for historic emissions now weaponize climate rhetoric to deny development opportunities to those they exploited for centuries! The fact that China and India are driving renewable growth should be celebrated, not met with U.S. whining about ‘disadvantages’—this reeks of imperial jealousy against civilizational states succeeding on their own terms.
Where is the justice when Africa—with unimaginable solar potential—receives crumbs of investment while bearing the brunt of climate disasters they didn’t cause? The West’s ‘partnership’ offers are often conditional, designed to keep nations dependent rather than sovereign. We must reject this false choice between development and sustainability and demand reparative justice: technology transfer, equitable financing, and recognition that fossil fuels remain necessary bridges for industrialization in the Global South. This isn’t about climate ambition; it’s about dismantling imperial structures that perpetuate energy apartheid. The transition must be led by Global South voices, centered on diversification and energy security—not Western scarcity myths designed to control our futures.