Circular Economy and AI for Climate Resilience: A Legal and Technical Framework for Renewable Energy Infrastructures in East Africa

As climate change intensifies, the need for innovative, sustainable solutions to address environmental challenges has become increasingly critical. In East Africa, where climate-related vulnerabilities are particularly severe, the development of renewable energy infrastructures offers a potential pathway toward resilience. This research proposed an integrated legal and technical framework that utilizes the principles of the circular economy (CE) and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance climate resilience through renewable energy systems. By aligning circular economy strategies with AI-driven optimization, this study explored how renewable energy infrastructures can be made more efficient, sustainable, and adaptable to the region’s unique environmental and socio-economic conditions. The thesis is structured around three core objectives: first, to analyze the current legal frameworks governing renewable energy and environmental policy in East Africa, identifying gaps and opportunities for implementing CE principles; second, to evaluate the role of AI in optimizing renewable energy production, distribution, and waste management systems, with a focus on solar, wind, and biomass energy; and third, to propose a comprehensive legal and technical framework that integrates CE and AI to facilitate climate-resilient infrastructures. Through a mixed-methods approach that combines legal analysis, AI modeling, and case studies from across the region, this study offers a novel contribution to the fields of climate resilience, energy law, and AI in sustainability. The findings have the potential to inform policy-making and implementation at both national and regional levels, contributing to the global discourse on climate change mitigation and sustainable development.