From failure to fairness: A call for accountability within household biogas development

Abstract

The purpose of this perspective piece is to advocate for a paradigm shift in biogas research, and argues for the need to centre accountability and justice in household biogas development research and discussion Drawing from biogas literature and the authors' own experiences in South Asia and Southern Africa, the perspective illustrates how a lack of accountability in biogas programmes has led to negative outcomes and harm to beneficiaries of top-down biogas programmes. The article emphasises the critical need for a research agenda that prioritises accountability and justice, particularly in the context of the increasing number of biogas installations driven by carbon credits and international aid. It proposes a dual approach: firstly, an in-depth analysis of the impacts of accountability deficits in biogas projects; and secondly, strategies for effectively embedding accountability into programme design. The perspective also advocates for incorporating restorative justice principles in domestic biogas research, starting from project initiation, to ensure there are plans for amending the harm caused should projects fail to achieve their intended outcomes. This approach is essential for holding governments and institutions accountable in large-scale biogas installation. The perspective concludes with a call for an overhaul of the aid and biogas sectors, highlighting the necessity for systemic solutions and a more profound engagement with the practical challenges of biogas implementation.