Ecological Energy Practices: Native African Approaches to Sustainable Energy in the Environment

Nouridin M.

Order the writing of a tailor-made Ecology & environment Thesis

Free quote online

Dissertation Format .docx

Ecological Energy Practices: Native African Approaches to Sustainable Energy in the Environment

Download

Read an extract

Themes

Ecological energy, Cameroon, indigenous ecological knowledge, energy sovereignty, traditional technology, climate adaptation, energy, ecological system, sustainability

Reader
Abstract
Contents
Extract

Abstract

This research examines indigenous ecological energy practices in Cameroon, investigating how traditional knowledge systems offer sustainable alternatives to conventional energy paradigms. Through mixed-methods research conducted across four ecological zones, the study documents sophisticated bioenergy techniques, passive solar design principles, and water management systems that have evolved over generations. Findings reveal that indigenous communities have developed site-specific energy solutions that maximize efficiency while minimizing environmental impact, often incorporating cyclical resource management and adaptive governance systems. The research identifies key transferable principles from these practices, including ecosystem-based design, intergenerational knowledge transfer mechanisms, and integrative resource management approaches.

Introduction
Theoretical Framework and Literature Review
1. Indigenous Ecological Knowledge Systems
2. Energy Sovereignty and Sustainable Transitions
3. Biocultural Approaches to Sustainability
4. Research Gaps and Theoretical Framework
Methodology
1. Research Design and Philosophical Approach
2. Research Sites and Sampling
3. Data Collection Methods
4. Data Analysis Procedures
5. Ethical Considerations and Methodological Limitations
Findings
1. Indigenous Energy Practices Across Ecological Zones
2. Knowledge Governance and Transmission Systems
3. Environmental Impacts and Sustainability Dimensions
Discussion: Toward Ecological Energy Sovereignty
1. Transferable Principles from Indigenous Energy Systems
2. Barriers to Recognition and Implementation
3. Toward Ecological Energy Sovereignty
Conclusion and Implications
1. Summary of Key Findings
2. Theoretical Contributions
3. Practical Implications
4. Limitations and Future Research Directions
5. Concluding Reflections

Get this table of contents for free after login.

Extract

[...] Sustainability, 11(18), 4856-4873. Baka, J., Hesse, A., Neville, K. J., Weinthal, E., and Bakker, K. (2021). Energy and resource sovereignty: Resisting enclosure and extraction in indigenous territories. Environment and Planning Nature and Space, 1161-1176. Bamba, I., Barima, Y. S. S., and Bogaert, J. (2019). [...]

[...] Decolonizing energy studies by documenting the empirical sophistication and theoretical coherence of indigenous energy knowledge systems 2. Advancing biocultural approaches by demonstrating the integration of cultural and ecological dimensions in sustainable energy systems 3. Reconceptualizing energy sovereignty through indigenous perspectives emphasizing relational values and ecological embeddedness By centering indigenous ontologies and epistemologies, this research contributes to broader efforts to diversify theoretical frameworks in sustainability science and energy studies. 6.3 Practical Implications The findings have significant implications for energy development in Cameroon and similar contexts: 1. [...]

[...] 4.1.2 Coastal Zone: Tidal and Wind Energy Applications Coastal communities demonstrated innovative applications of tidal and wind energy for food processing, water management, and transportation. The Batanga and Duala communities constructed sophisticated tidal traps that functioned as passive energy systems for both fishing and salt production: "Our ancestors built these tidal systems to work with the ocean's rhythm. The design captures fish during high tide and channels water for salt evaporation as the tide recedes. No external energy is needed-just understanding of water movement." (Participant C7, Kribi area) Technical analysis revealed these systems achieved approximately 40% greater energy efficiency than contemporary methods requiring fuel inputs for similar outputs. [...]

[...] Political power and renewable energy futures: A critical review. Energy Research and Social Science 78-93. Chilisa, B. (2017). Decolonising transdisciplinary research approaches: An African perspective for enhancing knowledge integration in sustainability science. Sustainability Science, 813-827. Creswell, J. W., and Creswell, J. D. (2018). [...]

[...] How might these native approaches inform more culturally appropriate and environmentally sustainable energy transitions in Cameroon and similar contexts? Cameroon provides a particularly illuminating case study due to its exceptional ecological diversity, encompassing coastal mangroves, tropical rainforests, montane ecosystems, and sahel regions, and its cultural richness with over 250 ethnic groups maintaining distinct knowledge traditions (Fonchingong and Fonjong, 2017). This diversity enables comparative analysis across eco-cultural contexts while focusing on a coherent national setting shaped by specific historical, economic, and political dynamics. [...]

docx