The Brundtland Report (1987) defines sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. A great concept and an even greater lens through which to approach life however, it is crucial to interrogate how we arrived at this concept and why it is being championed now.
Africa’s Minimal Contribution to Global Emissions
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, The buildings and construction sector is by far the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for a staggering 37 per cent of global emissions. The production and use of materials such as cement, steel, and aluminium have a significant carbon footprint. When we consider Africa’s role in this, the numbers tell a different story. For context, Africa’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions in the past two decades has varied between 3.4 to 3.9 per cent—the least out of the world’s contribution. It is almost laughable that the West after centuries of industrialisation, resource exploitation, and environmental degradation are now the champions of this ideology. Despite the continent’s minimal contribution to the world’s failed state of being, African countries are being badgered to uphold sustainable beliefs in the same measures as the West without the cushioning—infrastructure, technology, or financial resources—that is needed to achieve such a feat. This raises a critical point: is it fair or practical to hold Africa to the same standards as the regions that have historically been the largest polluters?
Western-Centric Definitions of Sustainability
The current definition of sustainability overlooks Africa’s unique context which is not at all surprising as it is well known that the West is famous for their one-size-fits-all approach in life. Particularly this bit “…defines sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present…,” already falls short in the African context as most of the nations like Nigeria and Congo are not meeting the needs of their present as a result of the decades of continued pillaging and syphoning of their natural resources to satisfy the West’s hyper-consumerist lifestyle and also due to the fabricated poverty, epistemicide, displaced populace, and armed conflicts.
The Paradox of Nigeria’s Natural Resources
Nigeria’s natural resources, including oil and gas, have been extensively exploited to fuel industries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The buildings and factories that generate significant emissions are not located in African cities but in the developed world. This Western endeavour however is not in line with the principles of sustainability—shocking? Of course not. The West’s idea of sustainability purports to move away from finite resources such as natural gas and petroleum oil supplied by Nigeria to other renewable and infinite resources like wind and solar energy but here we are with the data from the National Bureau of Statistics which show that as of the last quarter of 2023, the largest exported product was petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude representing 81.23 per cent, this was followed by ‘Natural gas, accounting for 8.00 per cent.
The Impact of Western Economic Policies on Africa
SDGs 8 and 10 are on promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth and the reduction of inequality within and among countries. This principle is not reflected in the West’s dealings with countries like Nigeria, this export-driven stance has led to economic vulnerabilities, i.e., has made the economy susceptible to fluctuations in global energy prices. This overreliance on fossil fuel export has hindered the development of others such as the local construction (material) sector. With Western colonisation came the murder of knowledge or epistemicide which led to the loss of indigenous technology in nearly all aspects of life. If close attention can be paid, it is evident that indigenous communities like those in Africa have always lived “sustainably.” They have depended on nature and vice versa for millions of years to sustain each other and if not for the West’s brazen arrogance, such a way of life would have continued to evolve strategically.
Reimagining Sustainability in an African Context
For countries like Nigeria, what sustainability or sustainable development should look like has to be determined and tailored according to their needs. Sustainability in this part of the world is not about carbon emission, it is about development that stems and addresses the needs of the people. It is a development that approaches indigenous people as whole and sovereign to create people-centred (design) solutions, not imposed by the global North and it is a development that desists from playing “catch up” with the West which is in line with Sarr’s words, “Africa has no one to catch up with. It must no longer run along the paths indicated to it, but walk swiftly along the path it has chosen for itself. Its status as the eldest daughter of humanity requires it to extricate itself from the competition, from that infantile age when nations pounce on each other to see who has accumulated the most wealth, technological gadgets, thrills, and the capacity to enjoy the goods and pleasures of this world, no matter if this unbridled and irresponsible race endangers the social and natural conditions of human life.”
The Need for a New Approach to Sustainability
This is not to say that carbon neutrality and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions are not important goals, but as stated by Nsah and Zapf (n.d), the current approach and strategies deployed to achieve these goals must be changed if we want to achieve success.
For the continent, life was never measured in GDPs or IGRs but in happiness and well-being, and like Sarr stated, “Life is not measured on a scale, it is an experience, not a performance” which tallies with Nsah’s opinion on Africa’s development, that Africa does not need “aspirational development” that is, development which is not locally inspired but instead aimed at catching up with the global North.
In summary, challenging the Western narrative means advocating for a more context-specific understanding of sustainability—one that recognises the unique challenges and opportunities faced by Nigeria and other African nations. Instead of imposing external standards, the focus should be on developing a sustainable model that aligns with the local context and addresses social inequalities.
References:
“THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development,” Sustainable Development Goals, https://sdgs.un.org/goals, accessed 8 September 2024.
“Building Materials And The Climate: Constructing A New Future,” UNEP, 12 September 2023, https://www.unep.org/resources/report/building-materials-and-climate-constructing-new-future, accessed 8 September 2024.
Galal, S., 2024. “Africa: share in global CO2 emissions,” Statista, 30 June, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1287508/africa-share-in-global-co2-emissions/, accessed 8 September 2024.
Ibrahim, M. and Posen, A., 2022. “What Climate Justice Means for Africa by Mo Ibrahim,” Project Syndicate, 12 September, https://www.project-syndicate.org/magazine/what-climate-justice-means-for-africa-by-mo-ibrahim-2022-08, accessed 8 September 2024.
Nsah, K.T. and Zapf, H., 2024. “Conserving Africa’s Eden? Green Colonialism, Neoliberal Capitalism, and Sustainable Development in Congo Basin Literature,” MDPI, https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/12/3/38, accessed 8 September 2024.
“Our Common Future: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development,” Sustainable Development Goals, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/5987our-common-future.pdf, accessed 8 September 2024.
Sarr, F., 2016. “AFROTOPIA – Rethinking Africa: An Interview with Felwine Sarr,” International Politics/Africa and the World, 6, pp.1-2.
