COMPREHENSIVE INNOVATION
systems needed to support them. Unless countries prioritize anticipatory skills planning that matches their industrial goals, they risk training workers for jobs that will always be overseas.
ministries, domestic and foreign investors, as well as labor and energy interests. In South Africa, this complexity is reflected in the tensions between labor movements and environmental advocates. In Kenya, the significant presence of international actors and reliance on their expertise have increased their influence over domestic policies. A significant challenge many African countries face is a lack of coordination among ministries, leading to disjointed policies that fail to complement one another. To foster meaningful change, we must cultivate an inclusive and lasting alignment among diverse coalitions. Only then can we develop cohesive policies that not only address energy needs but also promote social equity and environmental sustainability. An innovation policy that supports fairness in Africa should be intentionally developed, reflect regulatory credibility, allow for learning, relearning and adaptation as the world changes – while also investing in local capability building and African-led research. African governments need to boldly embrace innovation policies, civil society must be able to hold these transition strategies accountable and international partners should provide funding that fosters independence rather than perpetuating dependency. Without such deliberate institutional redesign, the transition will follow the same concentrating logic that has long defined the fossil fuel economy. Owning the transition A just energy transition presents a tangible opportunity for development, though it requires more than the deployment of green technologies. Deliberate efforts are needed to align innovation policy, industrial development strategies and social objectives. For Kenya, South Africa and the broader continent, the goal cannot simply be participation in the transition; it must be ownership of it. The success of the transition should be measured by its ability to generate shared prosperity, stronger communities and genuine political agency, rather than simply the share of green tech in the energy mix. Africa’s green future is still being written – this is the moment to author it on African terms.
Wandile Mlilo
Avoiding exclusion As decarbonization accelerates
to advocate for their inclusion. Justice requires substantive public participation and innovation policies deliberately designed to redistribute not only energy but also economic and political power. How innovation policy can support fairness Addressing these exclusions depends on how innovation policy is designed and by whom. Innovation policy serves as the institutional mechanism that connects green technology, job creation and justice. It shapes decisions on research funding allocations, the structuring of renewable energy auctions, the enforcement of local content requirements and the design of skills development incentives, among other aspects. By prioritizing local manufacturing, promoting technology learning and encouraging inclusive participation, innovation policy can ensure that the transition to renewable energy fosters meaningful structural transformation. Innovation policy is itself political, shaped by bargaining between Wandile Kelly Mlilo is a DPhil Innovation and Development student at the SARChI-Trilateral Research Chair in Transformative Innovation (TRCTI) at the University of Johannesburg. Her research focuses on the political economy of renewable energy innovation and transitions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Her research engages both the policy and socio-economic dimensions of energy transitions. She has worked on projects in renewable energy, local economic development and emerging digital technologies, developing social plans, impact assessments and exit strategies for coal power plants.
across South Africa, coal-dependent communities face increasing economic uncertainty, while poor communities still suffer from regular blackouts. Kenya tells a different story with a similar experience; while it has made significant progress in its energy mix, rural communities remain underserved or priced out of the market. The need to address such challenges is reflected in the common phrase of the just energy transition, “leave no one behind”. There is another stark divide between small and large firms, where established corporations, often with foreign ties, enjoy streamlined access to resources due to their size and influence. Local cooperatives, small businesses and community-led initiatives find themselves marginalized in the procurement process, sidelined in the ongoing energy transition. African countries thus struggle to define fair and independent strategies for the energy transition. A key area of inclusion is the involvement of affected workers, rural communities or those historically marginalized in the transition process. Unless these groups are actively included, their exclusion is a predictable outcome. Sadly, the communities most at risk of being overlooked are those that lack the political influence
“For Kenya, South Africa and the broader continent, the goal cannot simply be participation in the transition; it must be ownership of it.”
17
Powered by FlippingBook