It is broadly accepted that countries around the world need to transition to low-carbon sources of energy. However, the secondary impacts of this transition are less well understood. New research from the JRC models how the energy transition in Africa is likely to affect water usage on the continent by 2065. The researchers show how water withdrawals and water consumption will both decrease relative to baseline scenarios because of the lower water intensity of low-carbon energy systems. However, the more ambitious efforts to limit warming to 1.5° will lead to higher water withdrawals but lower overall water consumption by 2065, compared with efforts to limit warming to 2°. A similar storymap on the Africa Knowledge Platform showed how bioenergy production in the Senegal River Basin will have knock-on effects on food production, water use, and the transformation of natural habitats. These types of studies emphasise the need for integrated planning and policy for the green transition in Africa. Interactive information can help break down disciplinary silos when planning the clean energy transition in Africa, so check out the Clean Energy Access Tool or the Solar Energy in Africa Tool on the Africa Knowledge Platform.

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