African Climate Summit: Scaling up renewable energy for green growth

Africa has its own challenges, but the continent holds massive potential to contribute to global climate action with its clean energy sources, critical minerals, agricultural capacity, and natural capital. 

 

Africa holds over 40% of global reserves of cobalt, manganese and platinum and is home to 60% of the best solar resources globally. Already, solar is said to be the cheapest source of power in many parts of the continent, while 80% of new power generation capacity is renewables.

 

There is a unified African voice led by the President of Kenya, Dr. William Ruto that the continent is ready to provide leadership and work towards global efforts to decarbonise. 

 

“We therefore have an opportunity to lead the world and show that we can industrialise and prosper – and achieve this in a low carbon and sustainable manner, and make this century, African Century,” he said while addressing the 36th ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. 

 

Unfortunately, renewable energy investment in Africa is lagging behind and funds are needed for Africa to unlock green growth opportunities. In 2022, the continent only received a paltry 0.8 percent of the $495 billion invested in renewables globally. 

 

“We have an abundance of clean, renewable energy and it's vital that we use this to power our future prosperity. But to unlock it, Africa needs funding from countries that have got rich off our suffering. They owe a climate debt. But climate change in Africa is more than just solar panels,” said Mohamed Adow, Director of energy and climate think-tank, Power Shift Africa.

 

The Africa Climate summit is calling for ambitious investments in renewable energy. Currently, Africa needs $133 billion every year in clean energy investment to meet its energy and climate goals between 2026 and 2030.

 

"The renewable energy industry is committed to scaling up the total global capacity to at least 11,000 GW by 2030. Unfortunately, renewable energy investment in Africa is lagging behind. Let us harness the potential of renewable energy in Africa not just for the climate but as a socioeconomic catalyst, for energy security, access and community empowerment towards a sustainable and prosperous continent," said Bruce Douglas, CEO of the Global Renewable Alliance.

 

Proposed funding approaches championed by President Ruto who is the Chair of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) include:

 

1.   A global effort to raise the necessary funds for climate action-targeted taxes, removal of fossil fuel subsidies, and a global fossil fuel tax. 

2.   A global treaty should be established to ensure collective action and effective allocation of funds.

3.   Collective efforts by all stakeholders including governments, multilateral institutions, private sector, civil society, philanthropic institutions and local communities to deliver climate action and build sustainable future.

4.   Representation of Africa in major climate diplomacy events globally.

 

Africa can achieve its sustainable development goals by investing in RE. However, a focus on fossil fuels will see the continent lag behind everyone else as the world begins to switch off fossil fuels to go clean.

 

Data shows that renewable energy creates two to five times more jobs than fossil fuels per dollar invested. Other green economy investments like agriculture, climate adaptation and public transit provide five to 25 times more jobs. 

 

The Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya from 4-6 September, offers the best opportunity to discuss ways to boost investments that will help communities on the climate frontline to adjust effectively.

 

This meeting should emphasise ways of ensuring communities can live in dignity and to thrive.

 

According to Dr. Olumide Abimbola, Founder and Director of Africa Policy Research Institute, “Africa has much of the minerals that the world requires to power the green transition. What we are seeing is that African governments are looking for ways to make sure that these minerals are not just exported out of the continent, but that value addition happens on the continent, that the minerals power national and regional industrialisation processes.

 

“I am hoping that we see this message come out strongly during the African Climate Summit. But beyond that, I am hoping to see deeper discussions regarding concrete plans for how to make this happen – and the roles that external actors can play here.”

 

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

African Climate Summit: What to expect on Adaptation

The upcoming African Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, is expected to provide an opportunity for African leaders to support big ideas that drive climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation efforts.

Many stakeholders are keen to see solutions and action-oriented goals laid out in the Nairobi Declaration which is scheduled to be adopted on the final day of the summit on September 6.  

Africa is presently facing some of the worst climate consequences ranging from drought and desertification to floods and frequency of cyclones in countries like Mozambique and Malawi, which saw half a million people displaced and 500 killed by floods and landslides in March of 2023.

The Africa Development Bank (AfDB) estimates that the increasingly frequent climate-related disasters are costing countries between $7 billion to $15 billion a year, with an estimated projection of these losses rising to $50 billion annually by 2030. 

To adapt, African countries need to raise $124 billion annually by 2030, but the current situation is that the continent only receives $28 billion a year. Africa is not adapting fast enough and is not adequately prepared to address the current and projected climate change threats.

The African Climate Summit (ACS) is therefore a key opportunity to highlight the need to prioritise adaptation investment as a development imperative not only for Africa, but the world. 

“Discussions on adaptation finance must be prioritised. Africa is home to most people grappling with the weight of climate change, especially smallholder farmers. It is, therefore, time to bridge the gap between the urgency of the needs and the disparity in climate financing,” said Mwandwe Chileshe, Global Policy Lead for Food Security and Agriculture at Global Citizen. “Discussions at the summit must also focus on the urgency to reform food systems. This summit must mark the beginning of a unified drive towards sustainable solutions that safeguard both our environment and our livelihoods.”

With the ACS being a key moment that will lay the ground for COP28 in UAE, there is anticipation that the continent must see more commitments towards the delivery of the $100bn funding target and more support from Multilateral Development Banks for climate adaptation. 

For example, an estimated $630 billion of private capital per year is available for investment in food systems. Building on the Paris Summit, Africa needs a commitment from both governments and the public sector to mobilise funds for the huge shortfall in climate finance required for agriculture. 

There is expectation for the Summit to underlie the need to recognise and support the critical role played by Africa’s smallholder farmers -the backbone of Africa’s agriculture sector- towards realising food sovereignty for the continent.

“With the global food crisis continuing to impact millions in Africa, it is imperative that our approach to the challenge transcends mitigation. At the Africa Climate Summit, we need a discourse that gives precedence to climate adaptation.

“This discussion should be focused on communities most impacted by climate change. This entails not just recognising their suffering, but also driving substantial funding towards helping them to adapt to the changing world. The discussion must also have special focus on smallholder farmers as a critical group,” noted Chilufya Chileshe, food policy expert at SDG2 Advocacy Hub.

ACS to build on road to COP28

The African Climate Summit is expected to address four issues on adaptation to build on going into COP28.

1.   Reforming finance to enable post-disaster reconstruction.

2.   Strengthening African Adaptation Initiative and delivering UNFCCC Loss & Damage Fund- put pressure on rich nations to set up and operationalise the fund sooner.    3.   Financial investments in universal coverage of early warning and early action systems for disaster risk reduction.

4.   With the first Global Stocktake (GST) concluding at Dubai-COP28, the Summit is expected to demonstrate how African and global leaders have unlocked and will operationalise the Global Goals on Adaptation. The GST will be critical to increase ambition for finance and related action post 2025.  

According to Professor Patrick Verkooijen, CEO at Global Center on Adaptation, “Africa is more relevant to future global prosperity than ever before, with its young population, vast renewable energy and mineral resources and large tracts of uncultivated arable land.

“The Africa Climate Summit needs to lay the groundwork for more financial resources to transform climate adaptation and the Sustainable Development Goals into a new growth agenda for the continent.”

By Kofi Adu Domfeh 

 

Climate Action: Why you should be concerned about the Congo Basin

The Congo Basin is the largest forest in Africa and a significantly important carbon storage in the world.

With more than 10,000 plant species in and around the forest, the Basin is referred to as the “green lungs of Africa” – the ecological respiratory organ for the planet.

 

The rainforest of the Congo basin spans over six countries – Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Republic of the Congo – providing food, freshwater, medicine, security and an essential lifeline for local populations and serves as a critical habitat for endangered species.

 

But most critically, preserving the rich ecosystem of the Congo Basin is essential in the global efforts to tackle the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss.

 

The soils and plants of the Congo Basin rainforest store incredible amounts of carbon, preventing it from being emitted into the atmosphere and fueling climate change.

 

Carbon sinks are natural areas such as oceans and forests, which absorb carbon dioxide (Co2) from the atmosphere, helping to curb global warming.

 

The Congo Basin, with its dense tropical peatlands, is estimated to pull around 4% of global Co2 emissions out of the atmosphere each year.

 

 

Threat of land grabbing and industrial agriculture

 

Central Africa's rainforest stood at 178 million hectares in 2005.

 

The African region has lost 65 per cent of its productive land over the last 70 years, whereas the population has grown at least sixfold over the same period.

 

The Congo Basin is increasingly coming under threat due to deforestation, environmental degradation, growing populations, and the impact of climate change.

 

Several international fossil fuel and industrial-scale agriculture developers, mostly in rubber and oil palm plantations and, fueling wide-scale deforestation.

 

The move for land grabbing to exploit Africa’s resources for export has put the Congo Basin under threat. Illegal timber cut in the Basin is exported to the EU, US and China.

 

Unsustainable and illegal logging in the Congo Basin forest is leading to deforestation, destruction of wildlife habitat, diminished resilience to climate change.

 

Forest loss in the Congo Basin increased by 5% in 2021. The Democratic Republic of Congo alone lost nearly 500,000 hectares of primary forest in 2021.

 

The increased loss of biodiversity and threatened species will undermine efforts to protect biodiversity, and of the need to take urgent action to preserve ecosystem services vital to human well-being, including crop pollination, water purification, food security, clean air, flood protection and carbon sequestration.

 

Of the hundreds of mammal species discovered in the Congo Basin so far — including forest elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees, and okapis — 39 are found nowhere else on Earth. Of its estimated 10,000 plant species, 3,300 are also unique to the region.

 

Conserving the Basin as climate action

 

The United Nations Environment Assembly recognizes that the Congo Basin peatlands contain a high proportion of organic carbon, making them one of the world's largest carbon sinks, contributing to the mitigation of global climate change.

 

This is in “considering the benefits and values of Congo Basin peatlands, which sequester more than 31 billion tonnes of carbon and provide vital ecosystem functions and services that reduce the magnitude and mitigate the impact of floods and droughts, preserve biodiversity and provide food and water supplies,” emphasized the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).

 

At the recent AMCEN meeting in Addis Ababa, the African Group of Negotiators was urged to continue working with the COP 28 parties and the presidency to reach further decisions that recognize the special needs and circumstances of Africa and “to intensify regional and international collaboration to promote a multi-stakeholder approach to the conservation and sustainable management of peatlands in the Congo Basin, in line with Brazzaville 2018 declaration; adopted at the third meeting of Global Peatlands Initiative partners”.

 

The leaders also welcomed the initiative of the Republic of Congo to organize the Summit "Amazon - Borneo - Mekong and Southeast Asia - Congo, Summit of the Three Basins of Ecosystems of Biodiversity and Tropical Forests (S3B EBFT)".

 

This is in order to constitute, through the union of the three basins, a global alliance, biodiversity ecosystems and tropical forests, an Alliance/Coalition with a South-South governance, structuring the three global ecosystems that represent 80% of tropical forests around the world, bringing together 2/3 of terrestrial biodiversity and ensuring the vital role of global regulator of carbon balance and life on earth.

 

The three basins are expected to capture 80% of the existing and future financial mobilization announced at COP 27 for climate and COP 15 for biodiversity.

 

By Kofi Adu Domfeh 

 

COP28: African Environment Ministers endorse common position for climate action

African Environment Ministers have adopted a common position highlighting the continent’s priorities for the upcoming 28^th session of the Conference of Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The 19^th ordinary session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia discussed and strengthened environmental governance under the theme: “Seizing opportunities and enhancing collaboration to address environmental challenges in Africa”.

Key priorities for Africa contained in the adopted common position include; climate finance to meet the needs of the vulnerable, Global Stocktake of the implementation of the Paris Agreement, strengthening adaptation actions, operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, Just Transition Pathways and Africa’s special needs and special circumstances.

Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen, in his keynote address, highlighted the important contribution of AMCEN in promoting collective environmental and climate action across the continent and allowing African countries to speak with one voice on the global diplomatic arena.

Over the years, a key agenda of AMCEN is the African common position on climate change negotiations—a Addis Ababa Declaration containing key priorities and demands in the various themes of the climate negotiation process.

The need to unlock climate finance has, for years, dominated the discussions for Africa, a continent that is especially vulnerable to the impacts of the climate change, and yet contributes less than 4% to global climate causing emissions.

According to available statistics, Africa only has a fraction of the money it needs to contend with climate change. And in the years to come, the climate change tab is set to grow. According to UNEP, by 2030, Africa will require nearly $US3 trillion in climate financing.

Elizabeth Mrema, Deputy Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) made this clear in her remarks to the Ministers during the conference, saying:

“Surface temperatures here are climbing faster than the global average. Sea levels are rising more rapidly. And the continent has been hammered by disasters, from the three-year drought in the Horn of Africa, to Cyclone Freddy, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the southern hemisphere...It is a great injustice that Africa, which has contributed the least to climate change, is poised to suffer the most. The global community has a duty to lighten Africa’s debt load, which is vital if this continent is to finance the transition to a climate-resilient future.”

Alongside the need for climate finance, climate change discussions at the AMCEN 19 also revolved around the Global Stocktake (GST), enshrined in Article 14 of the Paris Agreement, whose objective is take stock of the implementation of the Paris Agreement and assess the global community’s collective progress towards achieving the purpose of the agreement and its long-term goals. The first stocktake got underway at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in 2021 and is expected to conclude at COP28 scheduled for Dubai, United Arab Emirates later this year.

Chair of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) on Climate Change, Ephraim Mwepya Shitima, while presenting to both the Technical and Ministerial segments of AMCEN 19, pledged the AGN’s commitment to safeguarding Africa’s interests in the climate negotiation processes and emphasized on Africa’s expectations.

“We remain steadfast in our quest for fair and just outcomes from these processes,” said Shitima. “Our call is that COP 28 should deliver ambitious, balanced, fair and just outcomes that should set the world on course to effectively address climate change on several fronts including; adaptation, loss and damage, finance and mitigation. COP28 is also about the Global Stocktake; we expect the outcome of the GST to reflect and take into consideration Africa’s special development circumstances and provides the policy space necessary for Africa to achieve sustainable development and just transition to low emission and resilient development pathways.”

Meanwhile, AMCEN 19 also endorsed the development of the AGN Governance instrument—a flagship and top priority programme of Zambia’s Chairmanship of the AGN. The governance document, which is aimed at documenting and formalising core governance and operational procedures for the management and administration of the group, is expected to be adopted at COP28.

It is worth noting that the Africa Climate Summit, scheduled for Nairobi from 4-6 September 2023 was also a key highlight at AMCEN 19 as it is envisaged to discuss the continent’s development aspirations in relation to climate change and the green growth agenda.

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

African Climate Action Summit 2023: what you need to know

The reality of the climate crisis has dawned on Africa, a continent that has both a stake and interest in solving the climate change challenge.

Over the past decade, storms, wildfires, and floods have resulted in substantial GDP losses. Africa faces severe climate-related challenges, including drought, desertification, and increasing cyclones, leading to displacement, migration, and food crises.

 

With its young population and collective assets in mineral, energy and agricultural resources, Africa has the potential to lead the energy transition and deliver enormous benefits for the region and the rest of the world.

 

The Africa Climate Action Summit 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya will focus on delivering climate-positive growth and finance solutions for Africa and the world.

 

The Summit is a unique platform opportunity for governments, private and multi-sector partners from across Africa, and around the world, to join together in pledging their contributions to urgent climate action.

 

The event falls under four thematic areas: Climate Action Financing, Green Growth Agenda for Africa, Climate Action and Economic Development, and Global Capital Optimization.

 

Three days of climate action

 

The 3-day Summit convened by the Government of Kenya and the African Union will be held during the Africa Climate Week from September 4–8.

 

The Ministerial Day will lead in building the momentum around the Summit, anchoring the discussion on the notion of climate positive growth.

 

Day two will put a spotlight on opportunities for financial viability, business models and tangible progress towards such opportunities.

 

The Nairobi Declaration is expected to be adopted as a call-to-action to end the Summit.

 

The collection of the commitments will set a new Africa-led surge of action against climate change.

 

Africa’s commitment to Climate Action

 

At the Africa Climate Summit, leaders will be called upon to make ambitious pledges and commitments. A comprehensive "Pledging and Commitment Framework" will be developed to guide these actions.

 

The active participation of several stakeholders is necessary to carry out climate action. The corporate sector, civil society, charitable institutions, and local communities all have important contributions to contribute, even while governments and multilateral institutions play a crucial role.

 

The private sector's involvement is essential in raising the required funds, and philanthropies may help initiatives become less risky and foster innovation.

 

Accountability, effectiveness, and a science-based focus on climate action are ensured by civil society, notably women and young people. Local and indigenous communities offer essential insights that help to ensure that equitable and sustainable development routes meet their requirements.

 

There is the chance to stop climate change, not just in Africa but globally, by adopting ambitious ideas and making audacious pledges.

 

To achieve the necessary emissions reduction targets and ensure adequate funding for climate action, a comprehensive global funding mechanism is required.

 

Kenya’s President Ruto advocates for targeted taxes on sectors like aviation and maritime, the removal of fossil fuel subsidies worldwide, and the implementation of a global fossil fuel tax.

 

By harnessing its abundant assets and resources, including renewable energy, critical minerals, agricultural potential, and natural capital, Africa can drive its own green growth and support global renewable energy needs.

 

The continent also offers a range of investment opportunities for global capital to promote decarbonization and local economic development.

 

by Kofi Adu Domfeh

 

GAYO engages media on anti-incineration and plastic pollution campaign

Plastic waste is a menace in Ghana’s environmental management. The generation, collection, composition, and disposal of plastic waste pose high environmental risk.

 

After being discarded, they form colossal mounds of waste that enter the terrestrial and marine ecosystems; and as they break down, they degrade into micro-plastics that contaminate food sources, with potential deleterious effects on human health.

 

The rapid growth in Ghana’s urban population calls for urgent attention in innovative solutions and resource mobilization to reduce, reuse, recycle, or recover as much waste as possible before burning it – and recovering the energy – or otherwise disposing of it.

 

But the harmful effects of incineration, proposed as the best way to manage waste, have emerged as a critical environmental issue.

 

The Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) has launched an anti-incineration and plastic pollution campaign to motivate collective action towards sustainable solutions for a more sustainable way to manage waste.

 

“While incineration could mitigate the sheer quantity of plastic waste burnt, it fails to wrestle with the underlying cause of the problem,” said the Organization.

 

As part of its effort to raise awareness as major stakeholders to induce conversation, GAYO, in partnership with the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) organized a media conference in Accra on the detrimental impacts of incineration and plastic pollution on the environment, human health, and marine life.

 

“This workshop is exploring different forms of environmental impact through reporting across media platforms while allowing journalists to improve their knowledge to report effectively on ecological and climate change issues,” said Mabel Laryea, GAYO Assistant Project Coordinator.

 

The conference urged media representatives to be actively involved in campaigns for policy modifications, promoting sustainable alternatives, and rallying public support for reducing plastic waste and abolishing incineration practices.

 

National Plastics Management Policy

 

An estimated 8 million tonnes of plastic waste leak into the ocean every year, and Ghana generates approximately 1.1 million tonnes of plastics per year.

 

The country seeks for the eradication of plastic pollution in the marine environment and other water bodies by 2040.

 

The purpose of the National Plastics Management Policy is to bring renewed focus and cohesion to the many existing policies and programmes within the public and private sectors to address the rapidly growing plastics pollution crisis in Ghana.

 

President of Informal Waste Ghana, Lydia Bamfo, emphasized the need for collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors in efficient plastic waste management to drive an environmentally-productive economy.

 

Innovative social enterprises have set out to rescue some of the millions of plastic trash and other waste materials from Ghana’s waste stream by turning such waste into high fashion goods, while creating employment opportunities, restoring dignity and financial independence for the youth.

 

Some train and employ street youth from disadvantaged communities to clear their streets of such waste and applying creative talents to transform them into handmade designer products.

 

Research and academia are also involved – some are turning plastics into fuel, while others have produced bitumen addictive from plastic waste to build roads that can withstand climate extremes.

 

Micro recycling businesses are also recycling plastics into chamber pots, pavement blocks, artifacts, and hospital equipment.

 

Madam Lydia expects the government to lead the charge by providing the environment for private manufacturers to add value to plastic waste.

 

By Kofi Adu Domfeh