The continent is particularly affected by the consequences of climate change despite being responsible for only 6% of total CO2 emissions. African decision-makers have now chosen to speak with one voice at major international events, such as COP28 which will take place in November in the United Arab Emirates. Upstream is therefore held from this Monday, September 4, the very first African Climate Summit, the Africa Climate Summit, in Nairobi, Kenya. Among the priorities, make the continent an emerging power in renewable energy and mobilize international financial assistance to reveal its potential.
This first African Climate Summit kicks off the busiest four months of the year for international climate negotiations, culminating in a battle to end fossil fuels at COP28 in Dubai from late November to early December.
For three days, leaders and officials from Africa and elsewhere, including UN chief Antonio Guterres, will be welcomed to the Kenyan capital by President William Ruto. He hopes that this summit will allow the continent to find a common language on development and climate in order to “propose African solutions” at COP28.
An African position on the subject would “save lives and the planet from disaster”, he said on Monday. “We aspire to define a new growth agenda that enables shared prosperity and sustainable development”, he continued on X (ex-Twitter), calling on the international community to release funds for the continent and to alleviate the debt burden weighing on African countries.
Africa, home to 1.2 billion people in 54 countries, is politically and economically diverse and home to some of the people most vulnerable to climate change.
A success in Nairobi around a shared vision on Africa’s green development would give impetus to several key international meetings before COP28, starting with the G20 summit in India in September and the United Nations General Assembly. then, in October, the annual meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Marrakech.
According to Joseph Nganga, appointed by William Ruto to chair the summit, the conference should demonstrate that “Africa is not just a victim, but a dynamic continent with solutions for the world”. “We have the power to respond to this crisis. […] Africa represents an opportunity for the world if we work together for mutual benefit,” said Mr. Nganga, of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) movement which promotes renewable energy in developing countries. .
Security has been tightened in Nairobi and roads will be closed around the summit venue. According to the government, 30,000 people are accredited for the event. Civil society groups are expected to demonstrate near the site on Monday to denounce a “deeply compromised agenda” focusing on the interests of rich countries.
To limit global warming to 1.5°C above the pre-industrial era predicted by the Paris Agreement, investment must reach $2 trillion per year in these countries within a decade, calculated the IMF.
A draft “Nairobi Declaration” viewed by multiple sources, including AFP, but still under negotiation underscores “Africa’s unique potential to be an essential part of the solution”. The document cites the region’s vast renewable energy potential, its young workforce and its natural assets, including 40% of the world’s reserves of cobalt, manganese and platinum, essential for batteries and hydrogen.
But the challenges are overwhelming for a continent where some 500 million people lack access to electricity. And African leaders keep pointing out the huge financial hurdles.
Africa, which is home to 60% of the world’s best solar energy potential, however, only has an installed capacity similar to Belgium, the Kenyan president and the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) recently pointed out. ). In particular, only 3% of global energy transition investments arrive in Africa, they said.
According to Charra Tesfaye Terfassa of the E3G think tank, the summit should strike a balance between optimism and a rigorous assessment of the challenges to “chart a new path so that Africa is a key part of the global conversation and benefits from the opportunities of the transition”. “.
