2025 Concept Note

Theme: Energy transition for who? The critical question of our times!

3rd to 6th February 2025

The Context and Theme Background

The world is faced with interwoven crises threatening the stability of many economies and societies(1). Despite growing economic vulnerabilities, the planet is grappling with climate emergencies requiring urgent steps to change the course for the future. It has become increasingly urgent to shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy and even more sustainable forms of energy. However, access to energy remains a serious challenge. Current research indicates that 685.2 million people worldwide have no access to electricity(2). The levels of energy poverty are staggering in Sub-Saharan Africa and least-developed countries, with 571 million people lacking access to electricity.

The AMI2024’s theme “Energy Transition Minerals: Putting Communities First for an Inclusive Feminist Future”, flowed from the AMI2023 theme “A Just Energy Transition: Unlocking Community Potential and Participation”. In these two successive years, the forum has been seized with the question of transition and inclusion. It is without contradiction that the Energy Transition is the most critical question of our time. Including the affected is not enough; but transparency, decision-making and self-determination are more critical. This is the case as many argue that moving towards clean energy will fundamentally bring economic shock to many countries.

“The impacts of the climate crisis and rising poverty and inequalities are cumulative, interlinked and worsening in the places where they converge”(3). While literature claims that the impact of climate change will entrench inequality and exacerbate poverty, real demand for transition minerals is not bothered by these conditions. The demand for critical minerals continues to grow rapidly. Many researchers suggest that the main driver of the demand for critical minerals is the increasing proportion of Electric Vehicles(4).

(1) IRENA (2023), World Energy Transitions Outlook 2023: 1.5°C Pathway, International Renewable Energy Agency, Abu Dhabi.
(2) IRENA (2024), Sub-Saharan Africa: Policies and finance for renewable energy deployment, International
Renewable Energy Agency, Abu Dhabi.
(3) OECD (2024), Development Co-operation Report 2024: Tackling Poverty and Inequalities through the Green Transition, OECD Publishing, Paris.
(4) UN.(2024) World economic situation and prospects.

The minerals sought for the transition include minerals like lithium, cobalt, manganese and nickel. Mining the critical minerals, coupled with climate change, will exacerbate the declining biodiversity. All countries dream to live in peace and harmony with Mother Earth, where we learn to use all that nature offers us, respecting ecosystems considering the common good and the well-being of future generations.

As businesses and industries need to be clean and efficient there is a great move to transactions in carbon dividends seeking to operate with the least amount of energy. The use of minerals should respect consensus, territorial autonomy and ecosystems, implementing rigorous social and environmental standards and distributing benefits fairly. The global shift away from fossil fuels toward cleaner energy to reduce the climate crisis presents significant potential for resource-rich countries . But the shift also poses challenges, compounded by gender inequality and a legacy of poor environmental and social practices linked to the extraction of oil, gas, coal and minerals.

To ensure benefits for everyone including communities, women, and Indigenous peoples, leaders of the world including those working on a just energy transition should foster inclusive decision-making, enabling women and marginalized groups to shape transition plans actively. Evidence shows that community groups are excited about the shift, but bemoan the fact that it has been planned by somebody else. These communities are the custodians of the land, and ecology but do not meaningfully contribute to the discussions. Decision-makers should listen to the grievances of the groups on what should be done. The movement moves forward, and those in power including businesses should ensure that the transition is just, inclusive, and equitable with people’s needs at its centre.

As a principle, they should also ensure that energy transition benefits the members of the communities and those from the grassroots. Communities should understand the benefits they are entitled to and the benefits they have contributed to. Decision-makers and businesses should acknowledge community rights and compensate the impacted people fairly and equally. Experience shows that the transition has been costly to the community’s rights in terms of the protection of territories and the lack of opportunities to do it differently. Moreover, those with the power of decision-making and planning of the shift should ensure adequate resources, including thorough equitable financing, to facilitate a graceful and people-centred transition. The financing plan of the shift should be just, equitable, transparent, reliable and graceful. Climate action financing mechanisms should not produce the same financial problems coming out of imbalances that exist in a market economy; There should be a well-governed and transparent finance for energy transitions that will ensure that citizens in resource-producing countries benefit from climate action financing models and not be affected during repayments and eventual austerity measures.

(5) Just Transitions in Resource- and Energy-Producing Countries

An overview of the recent AMI engagements

Reflecting on the Alternative Mining Indaba (AMI) of 2023 and 2024 we witnessed a remarkable gathering of diverse voices, where communities, activists, faith leaders, civil society, and social justice practitioners convened. This convening represented a fusion of worlds, knowledge, and experiences, underscoring the extraordinary nature of the AMI as a platform for meaningful engagement and collective action for the common future of the region and its communities.

AMI has always aimed to empower citizens and their representative groups, enabling them to raise their voices and exercise their agency in demanding inclusion, fairness, transparency, accountability, policy and legal reforms in the extractive sector. As a collective effort, AMI is geared towards securing intergenerational benefits through seeking economic justice, saving lives, and strengthening resilience of the communities around the extractive sector activities.

The past two editions of the AMI were driven by specific objectives that guided our efforts focusing on the just transition and a thematic area. Through the dialogues, AMI created a safe and inclusive space for communities and non-state actors to engage in meaningful dialogues, critiques, and analyses of their interactions with the extractive industry.

These discussions paved the way for exploring suitable pathways toward a just, green energy transition with a focus on protecting livelihoods and building resilience. Through sessions modelled on knowledge and information exchange in breakaway thematic groups, participants would walk away better informed to make decisions regarding the energy transition and the extractive industries.

The engagements are also geared towards building collective power and solidarity amongst communities. This serves as inspiration for the future and a tool to carry out engagements in asserting rights over land, and resource-use negotiations, with an emphasis on the principles of free, prior, and informed consent and inclusive decision-making.

The engagements in the past two years positioned the AMI as a driving force to charge forward with a persistent clean transition thematic area, poised to influence current discourses. The critical question which must dominate the transition debates should remain “Energy transition for who? The critical question of our time!

Rationale and important questions for 2025 AMI Theme

According to the World Bank and UN, energy and energy transition is simply a great economic question and energy forms an important block of economic development in the world. AMI engagements under the energy transition must note with deep concern the economists’ assertions “that extractive industries have been the cornerstone of Africa’s economic development, offering opportunities for growth and prosperity. Yet, often enough, the benefits of mining are never enjoyed by host citizens. Instead of prosperity countries are plunged into a resource curse and conflicts ensue with great impacts on women and children.

As we look ahead to the Alternative Mining Indaba in 2025, we are acutely aware of the multifaceted challenges that lie before us. The urgent climate crisis, coupled with geopolitical tensions, underscores the need for sustainable and responsible resource management towards the shift we all aspire.

That said, we still need to answer the following relevant issues that have come up in discussions regarding the shift:

How should Community participation be conceived? More meaningful participation of communities is needed as evidence shows that it is currently inadequate.
Readiness issue: are African countries ready for the transition or are we being forced by the corporate world who take the agenda in the name of climate change adaptation and mitigation and carbon dividends deals.
Red flag: dominance of the corporate world is a red flag as it is dominated by the markets and not community-driven demands.
Where the control lies: energy transition seems to be a high-level national leaders’ issue connected to corporate world issues.
Consumption: are African countries ready for energy consumption to be produced?
The human rights angle should continue to be emphasized.
There is also an issue of sustainable energy storage. Are our countries ready for that? Once it is realized, advanced technology is required.

The AMI philosophy lies in the fact that we are not merely a conference; it is a clarion call to action. It is a declaration that we must move beyond the old paradigms of exploitation, exclusion, and environmental degradation. The AMI envisions a mining sector where the voices and needs of mining-affected communities are not only heard but form the cornerstone of policy and practice, where the principles of justice and inclusivity are woven into the very fabric of the sector.

The overall goal of AMI 2024

Fostering Inclusive Dialogue: Create a safe and inclusive space for diverse stakeholders, including mining-affected communities, activists, faith leaders, civil society, and social justice practitioners, to engage in meaningful dialogues, critiques, and analyses of their interactions with the extractive industries. Encourage discussions that lead to the development of concrete strategies for a just and inclusive mining sector.

Strengthening Solidarity: Promote a people-centered and environmentally sustainable approach to the clean energy transition. Strengthen the collective call for solidarity among participants, emphasising the importance of aligning efforts and perspectives to amplify a unified voice advocating for transformative change. Encourage networking and collaboration among diverse stakeholders.

Empowerment through Knowledge: Equip communities and non-state actors with essential tools and knowledge related to the mining sector, the just, green energy transition, and feminist perspectives. Offer capacity-building workshops and information-sharing sessions that empower participants to make informed decisions and advocate for their rights within the sector.

Expected Outcomes

Inclusive Participation: Foster inclusive and meaningful participation among all attendees, ensuring that diverse voices are heard and valued within the AMI. Facilitate open dialogues that lead to shared insights and perspectives.
Actionable Insights: Generate actionable insights and recommendations that can inform policy reforms, transparency initiatives, and accountability mechanisms within the mining sector. Encourage participants to translate knowledge and dialogue into concrete actions.
Blueprint for Future Engagement: Build on the lessons learned from mining-affected communities and discussions to create a blueprint for future engagements in land and resource-use negotiations. Emphasise the principles of informed consent, inclusivity, and community-centred decision-making.
4. Advocacy for Change: Develop an advocacy message that reflects the discussions and outlines a clear path forward. Position the AMI as a driving force for a just transition, with the capacity to influence policies and advocate for change at regional and continental platforms.

Expected Outputs

Policy Recommendations: A comprehensive set of policy recommendations informed by the discussions and insights generated during the AMI. These recommendations should encompass reforms in the mining sector, transparency measures, and strategies for a just green energy transition, with a strong emphasis on inclusivity and feminism.
Capacity-Building Resources: Educational materials, toolkits, or resources developed during capacity-building sessions for communities and non-state actors. These resources should serve as practical guides for informed decision-making and advocacy in the mining and energy transition contexts.
Position Papers: Position papers or documents summarising the key takeaways from the AMI discussions, including insights on gender equity, environmental sustainability, community-led development, resource governance, youth engagement, and climate resilience.
Collaborative Initiatives: Collaborative initiatives or partnerships formed during the AMI, involving various stakeholders such as NGOs, government agencies, mining companies, and local communities, aimed at implementing concrete actions in line with the AMI’s vision.
Research Findings: Research findings and reports, if applicable, that emerge from the discussions and inquiries conducted during the AMI, providing valuable insights into issues related to the mining sector, gender equity, environmental sustainability, and more.

These expected outputs are designed to facilitate the transformation of the mining sector in Africa, ensuring that the AMI’s goals of justice, inclusivity, and feminism are translated into tangible actions, policies, and initiatives that benefit all stakeholders.

Suggested breakaway themes

Mapping the transitional mineral: Tracking Raw material sector

History of mineral exploitation and its benefit
Community participation
The role of policy on critical mineral demands
Possible value addition options.

Community-centred Just Transition Fostering Free Prior and Informed Consent

What is the significance of FPIC in the time of Transition?
Identifying strategies for community inclusion in the cycle of extraction
Discussing the role of indigenous knowledge and practices in creating a just transition.
Factoring diversity and Feminist Perspectives from the Grassroots.

Economic Justice and Accountability

Domestic Resource Mobilisation
Solidarity Economics, Transparency, and Accountability
Tackling Illicit Financial Flows
Strategies to ensure that mining revenues benefit local communities and contribute to broader economic development

Reimagining the mining sector in Africa

A sustainable and community-centred mining sector for the future.
Alternative economic models that prioritise long-term sustainability
Putting the last first: Placing women and the youth at the centre.

The Voices of the Voiceless

Stories and perspectives of marginalised and vulnerable groups impacted by mining.
Addressing the challenges faced by minority groups and advocating for their rights within the mining sector.
Exploring avenues for amplifying the voices of those traditionally excluded from discussions surrounding mining and energy transitions.

The critical role of oil and gas in the transition

Perspective of Oil and Gas in transitional mineral debate.
The critical role of Oil and Gas in the current energy transition
Is Oil and gas left out of the transition debate
Should oil and gas be considered as transition mineral

Expected Participants

The expectation is for the participation of at least 500 participants consisting of the following:

Women, Men, Youth from mining affected communities
Oil, gas, and mining company representatives
Members of Parliament and other key government officials
Private sector representatives
Representatives of directly affected communities
Representatives of NGOs and Civil Society
Faith based organizations and leaders.

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