Green groups at Africa Climate Week call for less talk and more action on low-carbon transition

Green groups from Ghana and other African countries joined the UN-hosted Africa Climate Week to demand rapid and ambitious climate action by government officials gathered in Accra for the conference.

The conference is one of three regional climate workshops aimed at accelerating the implementation of current national climate plans – nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – and the definition of more ambitious ones ahead of the special summit called by UN Secretary general António Guterres in September, and the next United Nations climate change conference, COP25, to take place in Chile in December.

Despite the urgency of the climate crisis, rendered all the more evident by the damage caused by cyclone Idai in Southern Africa – which took the lives of hundreds and impacted an estimated 1.5 million in the entire region- leaders gathered at the Africa Climate Week are failing in making concrete steps forward in heeding the calls for ambitious climate action issued by climate scientists, citizens and activists alike.

"The impacts of global warming are being felt daily by millions of Africans all over the continent. Communities everywhere fear to lose their land and their houses as each season hits one country after the other with exceptional floods, unexpected storms and increasingly long droughts. And cyclone Idai is just another terrible manifestation of what the expansion of fossil fuels means for African people,” said Landry Ninteretse, Africa Team Leader at 350.org.

"The proliferation of fossil fuels projects is happening at the expense of people’s health, climate, and ecosystems. Yet, solutions to this crisis are also well known. They include ending coal extraction and mining in the very short term and stop funding new coal infrastructure, while accelerating investments in renewables."

Ghana Reducing Our Carbon (GROC), 350 Africa and other civil society groups addressed leaders gathered at the Africa Climate Week to demand plans for a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels and an equally rapid and just transition to renewable energy sources, starting from Ghana’s commitment to produce 10% of its primary energy from renewable sources by 2030, which was already postponed from the initial 2020 deadline.

“Over the past four days we have heard representatives of African governments play little more than lip service to the need for ambitious climate action. They will go back to their capitals tomorrow and keep approving plans for new fossil fuel infrastructure, which is going to benefit only a handful of large corporations, some of which are foreign corporations, in Africa to once again exploit its resources and dump the resulting pollution on the most vulnerable and those who don’t have a say in these decisions” said Portia Adu Mensah, Coordinator of 350 - Ghana Reducing Our Carbon (GROC).

“Our continent needs a Copernican revolution, putting people’s lives before profits and achieving development by addressing the climate crisis: a rapid deployment of renewable energy sources and a focus on creating a truly green economy will lift people out of poverty, ensure that our energy needs are met and contribute to stopping the climate from changing even further in dramatic and deadly ways. Ghana can and must lead the way by setting in motion plans to meet its target of 10% primary energy produced by renewable energy sources by 2030”.

Already considered by the UN as possibly the worst cyclone ever to strike Southern Africa, Idai has ripped through villages and towns in three countries over the last few days, taking over 1000 lives and leaving a trail of destruction.

With winds of 195 km/h accompanied by lashing rains, Idai has already affected millions of people, causing floods, landslides and ruining crops and roads.

Clean energy transition will increase demand for minerals, says new World Bank report

A new World Bank report highlights the potential impacts that the expected continuing boom in low-carbon energy technologies will have on demand for many minerals and metals.

Using wind, solar, and energy storage batteries as key examples of low-carbon or “green” energy technologies, the report, “The Growing Role of Minerals and Metals for a Low-Carbon Future” examines the types of minerals and metals that will likely increase in demand as the world works towards commitments to keep the global average temperature rise at or below 2°C.

Minerals and metals expected to see heightened demand include: aluminum, copper, lead, lithium, manganese, nickel, silver, steel, and zinc and rare earth minerals such as indium, molybdenum, and neodymium.

The most significant example is electric storage batteries, where demand for relevant metals: aluminum, cobalt, iron, lead, lithium, manganese, and nickel— could grow by more than 1,000 percent if countries take the actions needed to keep global warming at or below 2°C. 

The report shows that a shift to a low-carbon future could result in opportunities for mineral-rich countries but also points to the need for these countries to ensure they have long-term strategies in place that enable them to make smart investment decisions. In readiness for growth in demand, countries will need to have appropriate policy mechanisms in place to safeguard local communities and the environment.

“With better planning, resource-rich countries can take advantage of the increased demand to foster growth and development,” said Riccardo Puliti, Senior Director and Head of the Energy and Extractive Industries Global Practice at the World Bank. “Countries with capacity and infrastructure to supply the minerals and metals required for cleaner technologies have a unique opportunity to grow their economies if they develop their mining sectors in a sustainable way.”

The future demand for specific metals is not only a function of the degree to which countries commit to a low-carbon future, it is also driven by intra-technology choices.

The low-carbon technologies that emerge as most applicable and beneficial, will play an important role in defining the commodity marketplace of the next 50 years. For example, the three leading forms of alternative vehicles — electric, hybrid, and hydrogen — each have different implications for metal demand: electric vehicles require lithium; hybrid vehicles use lead and hydrogen-powered vehicles use platinum.

Demand for individual metals and minerals will reflect the component mix of low-carbon technologies, corresponding with economic changes and technical developments.

To position themselves well, countries will need reliable sources of economic data and market intelligence, as well as the capacity to turn that information into plans, investments, and sustainable operations.

Based on current trends, it is expected that Chile, Peru, and (potentially) Bolivia, will play a key role in supplying copper and lithium; Brazil is a key bauxite and iron ore supplier; while southern Africa and Guinea will be vital in the effort to meet growing demand for platinum, manganese, bauxite, and chromium.

China will continue to play a leading role in production and reserve levels in practically every key metal required under low-carbon scenarios. India is dominant in iron, steel, and titanium, while Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines have opportunities with bauxite and nickel.

A “green” technology future has the potential to be materially intensive, the report states. Increased extraction and production activities could also have significant impacts on local water systems, ecosystems, and communities. As countries develop their natural resource endowments, it will be critical that sustainability, environmental protection, and options to recycle materials be integrated into new operations, policies and investments. 

“The Growing Role of Minerals and Metals for a Low-Carbon Future” report is intended to contribute to a richer dialogue around the opportunities and challenges for resource-rich countries that a low-carbon future presents.

The analysis is designed to support policy-makers and other stakeholders in the areas of extractives, clean energy and climate change to better understand the issues involved and identify areas of common interest.