Palgrave Studies in Energy Transitions – serie

The Palgrave Handbook of Zero-Carbon Energy Systems and Energy Transitions provides a comprehensive and authoritative source of information, analysis and recommendations on the multi- and inter-disciplinary subject of zero carbon energy systems.

The African continent is home to enormous reserves of oil, gas, energy and solid minerals, including renewable energy resources. Such resources are crucial for these countries’ economic development, albeit that most of these countries have fallen prey of the resource curse conundrum, with many of their citizens remaining poor, and depending on less than the equivalent of a US dollar per day. Nevertheless, these resources have been a source of revenue to many African countries and have financed various developmental infrastructural projects. However, these resources have also attracted various disputes among the relevant stakeholders.  In the management, governance and development of natural resources, conflicts among the relevant stakeholders can and do arise. In the mining sector, for instance, conflicts are common between host communities and mining companies, and between large-scale mining companies and small-scale mining companies. This handbook focuses on theregional, national, subnational level perspective, including chapters of a more theoretical level. The handbook will also encompass the energy and mining sectors and look at a range of technologies, infrastructures, energies and minerals for example, renewables, fossil fuels, minerals.

The SLO concept originated in the mining industry but over recent years its use has also been extended over large infrastructure, energy, extractive and industrial projects. Of relevance, given public opposition to renewable and low carbon energy infrastructure deemed by many as necessary to fighting climate change and facilitating the ongoing energy transition, it has been extended to incentivise such deployment. At the same time, it is also being used to improve the acceptability (or reduce barriers) to fossil fuel projects.In simple terms, the SLO concept refers to: 1) the ongoing acceptance of a company or industry's standard business practices and operating procedures by its employees, stakeholders and the general public; and 2) the level of acceptance or approval by local communities and stakeholders of proposed developments and their operations. Specifically, the SLO concept can be summarised as attempts to secure acceptance by local communities and stakeholders, in order to build public trust in such activities and prevent social conflict, whereas such attempts are premised on engagement between mining companies, governments and civil society to ensure that mineral resource extraction contributes to nation­al and local development, and that damaging impacts on host communities and the environment are mitigated or otherwise managed.