Publication frequency changed
2024-04-18
A Review of the Effects of Climate Change on Hydropower Dams in Cameroon
Authors
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Djomo Zeme Lawrence Benjamin
Methods Laboratory, National Higher Polytechnic School of Douala, University of Douala, Douala P.O. Box 24157, Cameroon
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Bitondo Dieudonné
1. Department of Quality, Health and Safety, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon; 2. Methods Laboratory, National Higher Polytechnic School of Douala, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v6i3.6735Abstract
One nation in sub-Saharan Africa that is vulnerable to the adverse consequences of climate change is Cameroon. The government of Cameroon has been funding the building of hydroelectric dam infrastructure for many years in an effort to expand the energy sector, which generates revenue and jobs and aims to make the nation a rising nation by 2035. Climate change, however, may make it more difficult for the hydroelectric projects the nation has committed to, which would interfere with its development strategy and possibly impede its ability to meet its own targets for emergence. Thus, the topic of this article is the influence of climate change and its detrimental impacts, which could impede Cameroon's hydropower industry's development. The methodological approach involved searching using search engines like Microsoft Academic, Scopus, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar to critically evaluate over 80 papers and do bibliographic analysis. ENEO Cameroun SA, the firm in charge of producing and selling power in Cameroon, provided certain documents. The literature review's findings show that hydropower production in Cameroon is seriously threatened by climate change, both generally and specifically with regard to the Lagdo hydroelectric facility, which is situated in the country's northern regions. The literature analysis also demonstrates how Cameroonian water resources—which continue to be a crucial element of hydropower projects—are significantly impacted by climate change. Mitigation of the adverse impacts of climate change on hydroelectric schemes in Cameroon may be achieved by adaptation strategies that entail the expansion of diverse hydroelectric production sources, especially in specific advantageous locations like Ngaoundere. The government of Cameroon may potentially make investments in alternative energy generation methods, like renewable energies. To better direct decision-makers toward investment, particularly in the development of hydroelectricity in Cameroon, studies must be conducted in various regions of the nation to map the potential of renewable energies (solar, wind, etc.) in each of those regions and to promote the construction of micro-hydroelectric dams that can operate both during the rainy and dry seasons.
Keywords:
Cameroon; Climate change; HydropowerReferences
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Lawrence Benjamin, D. Z., & Dieudonné, B. (2024). A Review of the Effects of Climate Change on Hydropower Dams in Cameroon. Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences, 6(3), 48–71. https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v6i3.6735
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