Nuclear energy & energy transitions: prospects, challenges and safeguards in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

In the pursuit of decarbonisation, states in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), like their developed counterparts, must ensure the realisation of climate change objectives. The obligations relate to limiting greenhouse gas emissions and overall temperature increase as stipulated by the international climate change regime. Besides, the States have to ensure access to affordable and clean energy for all people as per the 2015 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Number 7. In SSA, South Africa has embraced the use of nuclear energy with many others like Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia and Ethiopia considering atomic power programmes. Although it does not fall within the ambits of renewable energy per se, nuclear energy is a two-sided sword tackling both the climate change concerns while addressing the access to energy challenges. This is crucial for sub-Saharan Africa, where a significant portion of the population lacks access to modern and cleaner forms of energy.

Effective regulation of the nuclear industry is vital in achieving the broader objectives of the climate change regime and meeting SSA energy needs. However, following the Chernobyl and Fukushima Daichi nuclear power accident disasters, populations are sceptical in embracing nuclear energy. Further, the utilisation of nuclear energy poses questions relating to safety, environmental issues, and regulatory inadequacies, among other things. This chapter thus examines the major prospects and challenges of developing nuclear energy in the region while paying specific attention to environmental, safety and nuclear accident liability regulation under international law. Countries should incorporate these in the national legislation for achieving a productive nuclear energy industry. By comparing the SSA regime to that of the European Union (EU) with particular reference to France, ultimately, the chapter finds that for the region to reap the benefits of nuclear energy, it must put in place robust policies and regulatory measures to address the potential and resulting challenges.