It is such a shame. Countries that have the right contours and lots of water can create electricity relatively cheaply and very greenly with dams and hydro-power. I am in Nepal right now and have been told that they export electricity to India.
Drawing hydropower from the massive Zambezi River and its tributaries, the country could meet its energy needs while producing almost zero planet-warming emissions. It was renewable energy of the best kind — cheap and seemingly abundant. Zambia’s recently departed environment minister touted the country’s green credentials in dozens of speeches for international crowds.
But for months now the drought in Zambia means low levels for the Zambezi river, which means no electricity, like none at all. They are now building coal powered power stations but they will take a couple of years to complete.
How ironic that a country that does things the green way has to now go dirty just to get by, because of the poor responses of other countries (yes you US and China).