by Vijay Jayaraj My recent conversation on a social media platform with a close friend in Lagos came to an abrupt, silent end. Hours later, he messaged me back with an apology: The phone battery had died, and his neighborhood had been waiting for restoration of electricity service for the better part of the day.… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj Political powers in the United Nations and European Union have spent decades lecturing Africa on climate “virtue.” Net-zero pledges, renewable targets, ESG frameworks, and more make up the ever-growing list of prescriptions for “healing the planet.” Having already industrialized through the use of fossil fuels and enjoying full bellies, stable power grids,… Continue Reading
By Vijay Jayaraj For decades growth strategies in poorer countries of the Global South – Asia, Africa and South America – leaned heavily on energy-intensive industries powered by fossil fuels and, in a handful of cases, by nuclear power. Cities grew, factories rose, exports surged, poverty declined. This growth slowed under the weight of decarbonization… Continue Reading