budgets, with four-fifths of SSA countries always falling more than 5% below
budget (World Bank 2017). Corruption and low capacity also contribute to the
lack of confidence from potential investors and donors in the ability of national
governments to effectively manage funds and target the intended uses/beneficiaries
(Sects. 1.1, 1.2.8 and 1.2.9).
Regarding (c), the development and implementation of appropriate statistical
systems are a backbone for tracking progress for the SDGs (SDSN and TReNDS
2019), especially by generating reliable data that are missing for many individual
SDG targets as discussed throughout this chapter (e.g. Sects. 1.2.1, 1.2.6, 1.2.7,
1.2.11, 1.2.12, 1.2.14 and 1.2.16 among others) (SDG Centre for Africa 2019).
However, developing, implementing and managing consistent and good quality
statistical data would require substantial investments over time to both attract
capable personnel and also build the infrastructure for data collection, storage,
analysis and sharing. Currently the lack of resources, capacity constraints and lack
of political will are some of the major challenges to develop such systems in the
region (SDSN and TReNDS 2019).
1.3 Structure and Outline of the Edited Volumes
This two-volume edited series seeks to discuss in more depth some of the main
sustainability challenges facing SSA countries in the context of the SDGs. In
particular, each individual chapter tackles different sustainability challenges across
the full spectrum of the SDGs. Furthermore, each chapter pays special attention in
introducing the respective sustainability challenges, and the policy and practice
implications in the context of the SDGs. Notably, in each chapter, there is a clear
paragraph in the introduction outlining the sustainability challenge explored, as well
as a dedicated sub-section about the main policy and practice implications and
recommendations. In most cases, these sub-sections are linked directly to the SDGs.
The two volumes contain five main sections divided across geographical considerations. Thematically the chapters cover a breadth of different sustainability challenges ranging from agriculture and food security to energy security, deforestation,
mining and urban sustainability, among others. Volume 1 contains 10 chapters,
including this introductory chapter (Chap. 1 Vol. 1), four chapters focusing on the
entire continent (Chap. 2–5 Vol. 1), three chapters focusing on Western Africa
(Chap. 6–8 Vol. 1) and two chapters focusing on Central Africa (Chap. 9–10 Vol.
1). Volume 2 contains ten chapters, of which four focus on Eastern Africa (Chap. 1–
4 Vol. 2), four focus on Southern Africa (Chap. 5–8 Vol. 2) and two are synthesis
chapters (Chap. 9–10 Vol. 2). Figure 1.13 highlights the regional distribution of the
chapters from Western, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa.
The ‘Continental Perspectives’ section contains four individual chapters.
Chapter 2 (Vol. 1) discusses the main sustainability challenges associated with
current bioenergy pathways, and some of the key priority areas for facilitating
large-scale bioenergy transitions in SSA (Johnson et al., 2020). Chapter 3 (Vol. 1)
1 Sustainability Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Context of the. . .
37
budget (World Bank 2017). Corruption and low capacity also contribute to the
lack of confidence from potential investors and donors in the ability of national
governments to effectively manage funds and target the intended uses/beneficiaries
(Sects. 1.1, 1.2.8 and 1.2.9).
Regarding (c), the development and implementation of appropriate statistical
systems are a backbone for tracking progress for the SDGs (SDSN and TReNDS
2019), especially by generating reliable data that are missing for many individual
SDG targets as discussed throughout this chapter (e.g. Sects. 1.2.1, 1.2.6, 1.2.7,
1.2.11, 1.2.12, 1.2.14 and 1.2.16 among others) (SDG Centre for Africa 2019).
However, developing, implementing and managing consistent and good quality
statistical data would require substantial investments over time to both attract
capable personnel and also build the infrastructure for data collection, storage,
analysis and sharing. Currently the lack of resources, capacity constraints and lack
of political will are some of the major challenges to develop such systems in the
region (SDSN and TReNDS 2019).
1.3 Structure and Outline of the Edited Volumes
This two-volume edited series seeks to discuss in more depth some of the main
sustainability challenges facing SSA countries in the context of the SDGs. In
particular, each individual chapter tackles different sustainability challenges across
the full spectrum of the SDGs. Furthermore, each chapter pays special attention in
introducing the respective sustainability challenges, and the policy and practice
implications in the context of the SDGs. Notably, in each chapter, there is a clear
paragraph in the introduction outlining the sustainability challenge explored, as well
as a dedicated sub-section about the main policy and practice implications and
recommendations. In most cases, these sub-sections are linked directly to the SDGs.
The two volumes contain five main sections divided across geographical considerations. Thematically the chapters cover a breadth of different sustainability challenges ranging from agriculture and food security to energy security, deforestation,
mining and urban sustainability, among others. Volume 1 contains 10 chapters,
including this introductory chapter (Chap. 1 Vol. 1), four chapters focusing on the
entire continent (Chap. 2–5 Vol. 1), three chapters focusing on Western Africa
(Chap. 6–8 Vol. 1) and two chapters focusing on Central Africa (Chap. 9–10 Vol.
1). Volume 2 contains ten chapters, of which four focus on Eastern Africa (Chap. 1–
4 Vol. 2), four focus on Southern Africa (Chap. 5–8 Vol. 2) and two are synthesis
chapters (Chap. 9–10 Vol. 2). Figure 1.13 highlights the regional distribution of the
chapters from Western, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa.
The ‘Continental Perspectives’ section contains four individual chapters.
Chapter 2 (Vol. 1) discusses the main sustainability challenges associated with
current bioenergy pathways, and some of the key priority areas for facilitating
large-scale bioenergy transitions in SSA (Johnson et al., 2020). Chapter 3 (Vol. 1)
1 Sustainability Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Context of the. . .
37