Unpacking Ecological Stress from Economic Activities for Sustainability and Resource Optimization in Sub-Saharan Africa

Katundu Imasiku, Valerie M. Thomas and Etienne Ntagwirumugara
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Katundu Imasiku: African Center of Excellence in Energy for Sustainable Development, University of Rwanda, Kigali 4285, Rwanda
Valerie M. Thomas: School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Etienne Ntagwirumugara: African Center of Excellence in Energy for Sustainable Development, University of Rwanda, Kigali 4285, Rwanda

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 9, 1-12

Abstract: Most sub-Saharan African (SSA) nations are governed by traditional economic models of using varied varieties of capital (including human), technological and natural approaches to supply goods and services. This has undoubtedly led to annual economic growth of about 3.2% in several African nations and higher per capita income as some of the major benefits, which have improved the standards of living and social wellbeing but conjointly have led to environmental degradation. In response to the environmental degradation problem, while benchmarking against international policies, this article evaluates approaches to economic development, environmental management, and energy production in the context of climate change. Case studies consider the mine-dependent nations of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the agriculture-dependent nation of Rwanda. In Zambia and DRC, energy efficiency in the mining and metals industries could increase the electrification rate in Zambia and DRC by up to 50%. Additional industrial utilization of solar or wind energy is key to a stable energy supply, economic development and environmental protection. In Rwanda, population growth and land constraints point to economic growth and agricultural improvements as the key to sustainability and sustainable development. These case studies emphasize resource optimization, energy efficiency, renewable energy deployment, strategies to reduce biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, and the improvement of social wellbeing for both present and future generations to achieve an ecologically enhanced sub-Saharan Africa.

Keywords: economic activity; sustainability; energy efficiency; green growth; economic growth; ecology; environmental degradation; Zambia; Democratic Republic of Congo; Rwanda (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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