The promise of a "just" energy transition in Africa is hollow if water is sidelined. South Africa’s experience shows that any push to expand fossil‑fuel infrastructure without rigorous water accounting risks swapping one scarcity for another. The continent already wrestles with unreliable water services, crumbling infrastructure and mounting demand, and climate projections warn of hotter, drier conditions that will further strain rivers and dams.
If we allow gas and oil projects to proceed on the premise of energy security alone, we ignore the hidden cost paid by households, farmers and ecosystems that depend on the same water sources. The real test for any new development should be whether its projected economic benefits outweigh the water burden it imposes, and whether that burden is borne fairly by local communities.
A pragmatic path forward requires:
- Mandatory, publicly disclosed water‑use assessments for every proposed fossil‑fuel or energy‑intensive project.
- Scenario modelling that incorporates drought forecasts and cumulative demand from existing and planned developments.
- Legal safeguards that empower affected communities to challenge projects that threaten their water security.
Only by treating water as a firm limit—not a negotiable afterthought—can Africa avoid reproducing an old development model under the banner of a new, greener future. The debate must shift from “more electricity” to “who gets the water that powers that electricity.”