26 Jun Energy Challenges in the Developing World
Conveners
Javiera Barandiaran, Global Studies: jba@global.ucsb.edu
Stephan Miescher, History: miescher@history.ucsb.edu
Research interests
As climate change threatens communities worldwide, how to transition to cleaner sources of energy remains a global challenge. For developing countries, the stakes are high: they must simultaneously respond to climate change impacts and strive to develop using more expensive, fossil fuel-free energy sources. In this context, what have been developing countries’ approaches to energy policy and fuels? How are these challenged by the current pressure to switch to cleaner energies, and with what effects?
What have developing countries been doing to participate in new markets for fuels and energy technologies, and respond to new energy challenges, like for mobile technologies that are increasingly important not just in cities but also in rural areas across Africa and Latin America? Can developing countries benefit from new energy sources, like lithium used in electric cars? Or are fossil fuels still black gold, as Brazil’s and Ghana’s recent oil discoveries suggest? The “Energy Challenges in the Developing World” RFG explores humanities and social science approaches to energy issues. Participating faculty bring expertise from places in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, with on-going or planned research projects in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Egypt, Ghana, and Zambia from a range of energy technologies that include hydroelectric, fossil fuels, solar, wind, and lithium. We are particularly interested in ways in which mapping technologies and spatial data can support humanities-based research on energy issues, and vice versa.