As African countries prioritize industrialization for job creation and sustainable development, they are contending with rapid climate and energy transitions—which bring both challenge and opportunity for the continent. To boost industrialization, infrastructure, and critical mineral value-addition, the continent faces the imperative to mobilize for investment in an energy mix that accounts for climate impact. The climate impacts of these investments are particularly important for a continent that remains disproportionately affected by cascading climate shocks.

The Africa Program’s Climate and Energy Transition work examines how Africa’s economic development priorities and innovations intersect with global decarbonization policies. We focus on Africa’s growing agency to address energy poverty, achieve economic diversification, promote industrialization and technology adoption, manage a new scramble for climate minerals, and finance a just transition to a low carbon future.