Prof. Simon Bawakyillenuo

Prof. Simon Bawakyillenuo is an Associate Professor of Human Geography at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana. With over one decade of research and policy engagement, he has contributed to national and international dialogues on renewable energy, climate governance, political economy analysis, and green economic development. He holds a PhD in Human Geography, an MSc in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Hull, UK, and a BA in Geography from the University of Ghana. His doctoral research, which centered on rural electrification and solar PV adoption in Ghana, laid the foundation for his research endeavors in sustainable energy policy and practice in Africa.
Prof. Bawakyillenuo has served as Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator on numerous high-impact national and international research projects, including work funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, Oxford University, IFPRI, ILO, and the UK’s EPSRC. His research has influenced national energy strategies, climate change financing frameworks, social protection reforms, and green economy planning in Ghana and beyond.
He sits on several major boards and committees, including the University of Ghana Academic Board and College of Humanities Academic Board, the EPA’s Technical Working Groups, and the Cocoa Sector Marketing Committee (COSMARC). He also serves as Associate/Deputy Editor for Local Environment (The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability). He has published extensively in leading academic journals, contributed to influential policy reports, and has mentored several emerging African researchers.

Research Areas:

• Energy policy and governance
• Environmental policy and governance
• Climate change and development
• Just energy transition
• Green and blue economy
• Political economy of energy generation