Published on : 27/05/2022 – 22:18
What priorities for Africa in the face of climate change? Six months before COP27 in Egypt, this question was at the heart of discussions at the Ibrahim Forum on governance, which just ended this Friday, May 27 in London.
For three days, representatives of African civil society and governments, including the current chair of the African Union Macky Sall, came together to advance Africa’s position in the global climate debate. A position not heard enough as underlined by a report by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation published upstream of the forum.
Poverty, food insecurity, population displacements, conflicts over resources…: the “Facts and Figures” report by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation paints an alarming picture of the consequences of global warming for the continent.
These African specificities are not sufficiently taken into account, according to the foundation, which recalls that the ten countries most affected by climate change are in Africa, countries such as Niger, Somalia or Chad, and that without concrete measures , an additional 40 million people will fall into extreme poverty.
► To read also: Climate change: Africa needs more funding, says IPCC
Wednesday, at the opening of the forum, the Senegalese Macky Sall pleaded for a fair energy transition for Africa. For him, the continent should be allowed to use its own resources, in particular natural gas, in order to fill its energy deficit.
For the authors of the report, beyond gas, the development of renewable energies can stimulate a green economy on the continent.
Today, the Egyptian Minister of Energy received the findings of the report. They will serve as a basis for the next COP27 next November in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
■ Protecting the climate and providing access to energy for all
At the last COP26 in Glasgow, several countries agreed to put an end to the financing of fossil fuels. “ A mistake according to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, which emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between access to energy for all and climate protection. Interview with Nathalie Delapalme, Executive Director of the Foundation.
What reality does Africa face when we talk about the end of fossil fuels?
NA: We are in Africa on a continent where 600 million people still do not have access to electricity – 600 million is twice the population of the United States and 1.3 times the population of the European continent -, where 900 millions of people still do not have access to clean fuels for cooking, with major consequences in terms of health; so that means that we have to manage to find a point of balance between the concern to ensure this access to energy for all and the protection of the climate.
To achieve this balance, you advocate the use of natural gas, but this solution goes against the will of the international community to get out of fossil fuels…
Once again on a continent where 600 million people still do not have access to electricity, it is obvious that we cannot immediately do without gas as a transition energy; first, because gas exists, we have 18 countries that produce gas, then because it is by far the least polluting fossil fuel. So excluding gas from all funding, as was done at the last COP26, is in our view a mistake and a mistake that could be costly in terms of development for the African continent.
How to reassure the international community?
We have to manage to find both a point of balance and I would say a path that allows us to continue to use gas, which allows us to make better use of gas, while developing renewable energies. When I say use better: it also means finding ways to solve major problems: which are matters of distribution, transport and consumer access.
Why is it important that your message be heard?
We may be in danger of advancing solutions on the fight against the climate, but to the detriment of the achievement of the objectives of sustainable development because when we recalled the particular vulnerability of the African continent, in terms of desertification, and when we add to that the impact of the Covid, plus the impact today of the Ukrainian conflict, that means that we are facing major risks of growing instability, social crises, conflict over resources. So do not sacrifice the commitments of the international community in terms of development for the sole consideration of the climate. People’s lives are at stake, people’s lives immediately.