The resource curse in renewable energy: A framework for risk assessment
Renewable energy development can enable climate-compatible growth in low- and middle-income countries, particularly given the substantial opportunities for energy export to high-income countries seeking to decarbonise their energy systems. However, this also comes with significant risks, including t...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Energy Strategy Reviews |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X22000402 |
| _version_ | 1817977383101136896 |
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| author | Alycia Leonard Aniq Ahsan Flora Charbonnier Stephanie Hirmer |
| author_facet | Alycia Leonard Aniq Ahsan Flora Charbonnier Stephanie Hirmer |
| author_sort | Alycia Leonard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Renewable energy development can enable climate-compatible growth in low- and middle-income countries, particularly given the substantial opportunities for energy export to high-income countries seeking to decarbonise their energy systems. However, this also comes with significant risks, including the potential to trigger a resource curse of adverse social, environmental, and economic effects resulting in paradoxically slowed growth. Here, we propose a novel framework to assess potential risks associated with renewable energy development in low- and middle-income countries rooted in the resource curse literature. Eighteen symptoms of the resource curse are evaluated in terms of relevance to renewable energy, and their potential risks and benefits during renewable energy development are established. We find that context-specific factors are key in determining whether resource developments will provoke adverse impacts or positive opportunities; so, preemptive context-specific risk assessment is needed to implement prevention and mitigation strategies. For example, while fossil fuel development has been seen in some circumstances to increase dependence on external capital and technology, where adequate education and financing strategies are implemented, it can instead enhance autonomy and development. Similar risks can apply to renewable energy development, and must be evaluated. The proposed resource curse risk assessment framework can be applied to individual contexts to help countries, companies, sectors, or projects maximise the positive outcomes of renewable energy development and avoid a renewable energy resource curse. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:15:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-87c487efe3da4d48a39aaa4750b5ab32 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2211-467X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:15:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energy Strategy Reviews |
| spelling | doaj.art-87c487efe3da4d48a39aaa4750b5ab322022-12-22T02:27:33ZengElsevierEnergy Strategy Reviews2211-467X2022-05-0141100841The resource curse in renewable energy: A framework for risk assessmentAlycia Leonard0Aniq Ahsan1Flora Charbonnier2Stephanie Hirmer3Corresponding author.; University of Oxford, Oxford, UKUniversity of Oxford, Oxford, UKUniversity of Oxford, Oxford, UKUniversity of Oxford, Oxford, UKRenewable energy development can enable climate-compatible growth in low- and middle-income countries, particularly given the substantial opportunities for energy export to high-income countries seeking to decarbonise their energy systems. However, this also comes with significant risks, including the potential to trigger a resource curse of adverse social, environmental, and economic effects resulting in paradoxically slowed growth. Here, we propose a novel framework to assess potential risks associated with renewable energy development in low- and middle-income countries rooted in the resource curse literature. Eighteen symptoms of the resource curse are evaluated in terms of relevance to renewable energy, and their potential risks and benefits during renewable energy development are established. We find that context-specific factors are key in determining whether resource developments will provoke adverse impacts or positive opportunities; so, preemptive context-specific risk assessment is needed to implement prevention and mitigation strategies. For example, while fossil fuel development has been seen in some circumstances to increase dependence on external capital and technology, where adequate education and financing strategies are implemented, it can instead enhance autonomy and development. Similar risks can apply to renewable energy development, and must be evaluated. The proposed resource curse risk assessment framework can be applied to individual contexts to help countries, companies, sectors, or projects maximise the positive outcomes of renewable energy development and avoid a renewable energy resource curse.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X22000402Resource curse frameworkLMICsRenewable energy exportDecarbonisationGreen energy transition |
| spellingShingle | Alycia Leonard Aniq Ahsan Flora Charbonnier Stephanie Hirmer The resource curse in renewable energy: A framework for risk assessment Energy Strategy Reviews Resource curse framework LMICs Renewable energy export Decarbonisation Green energy transition |
| title | The resource curse in renewable energy: A framework for risk assessment |
| title_full | The resource curse in renewable energy: A framework for risk assessment |
| title_fullStr | The resource curse in renewable energy: A framework for risk assessment |
| title_full_unstemmed | The resource curse in renewable energy: A framework for risk assessment |
| title_short | The resource curse in renewable energy: A framework for risk assessment |
| title_sort | resource curse in renewable energy a framework for risk assessment |
| topic | Resource curse framework LMICs Renewable energy export Decarbonisation Green energy transition |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X22000402 |
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