Pastoralism & large-scale green energy projects

Pastoralism-and-large-scale-REnewable-energy-and-green-hydrogen-projects

A study commissioned by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and Brot für die Welt, Germany, looks at how large-scale solar- and wind-power and green-hydrogen projects affects pastoralists. It seeks to highlight this growing challenge so that: i) policymakers and civil society can shape the expansion of producing renewables in the drylands so that it does no harm; and ii) pastoralists can become better prepared to deal with this expansion, and could even benefit from it.

The report gives a summary overview of the current situation, trends and perspectives in generating solar and wind energy and producing green hydrogen in the drylands globally. Special attention is given to issues around rights of land tenure and use. This provides the context for studying the challenges and opportunities for pastoralists faced with the expansion of green-energy production in the drylands for public and commercial benefit.

Selected cases are presented of experiences made by pastoralists in interaction with green-energy projects. The focus is on Africa, but also cases from other parts of the world are reviewed. Information on the co-existence of pastoralism and renewable-energy generation in some parts of the world shows how pastoralists might be able to benefit from this.

The report concludes with a discussion of the threats and potentials of renewables for pastoralists, and gives some recommendations for avoiding conflict and enabling multifunctional land use in ways that recognise the rights of pastoralists to access natural resources and energy as well as the opportunities for society at large to access clean, renewable energy. It offers initial ideas as to how pastoralists could have a fair share of the benefits created from renewable-energy generation on their traditional land.

One of the authors, Hussein Wario, Director of the Centre for Research & Development in Drylands (CRDD) in northern Kenya, also wrote about the study findings in a blog for Project Syndicate “Making green energy safe for pastoralists“.

Posted on 18 May 2022 in CELEP Documents, Pastoralism & Climate Change, Pastoralism & Extractives, Pastoralism & Peacebuilding, Pastoralist Livelihoods & Nutrition