From cultural heritage to sustainable energy: Africa as a laboratory for the future. The case of Gorée Island in Senegal

This article explores the intersection of cultural heritage preservation and sustainable energy transitions in Africa, with a focus on Gorée Island in Senegal as a case study. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978 for its testimony to the Atlantic slave trade, Gorée today represents not only a site of memory but also a laboratory for future-oriented sustainability practices. The island’s integration into Dakar’s electricity grid in 2018, replacing polluting diesel generators, has significantly improved energy security, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and stimulated socio-economic development. This infrastructural shift has also created opportunities to link heritage safeguarding with renewable energy innovation, in line with Senegal’s broader decarbonisation strategies, such as the Taiba N’Diaye Wind Farm. Drawing on the One Health approach, the article highlights the measurable human, animal, and environmental health benefits of clean energy adoption, including improved air quality, reduced disease burdens, and protection of ecosystems. At the same time, cultural dimensions reinforce social cohesion, resilience, and well-being in the face of climate challenges. The Gorée case demonstrates that aligning heritage conservation with sustainable energy investments generates scalable and replicable models for other island and coastal World Heritage sites in Africa and the Mediterranean. By situating local practices within continental strategies such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and global frameworks led by UNESCO and the International Energy Agency (IEA), this study positions Gorée as an example of how Africa’s cultural heritage can illuminate pathways towards integrated, sustainable futures.