Pan-African leadership can lead way to clean and green future

For Africans, the reality of the climate crisis is never far away. Millions of East Africans are currently facing devastation as a result of a protracted drought that has sunk six farming seasons, wiped away millions of livestock and spelt doom for the population.

How can we fulfil our development goals as Africans when drought is sinking our livelihoods? How can we thrive when our homes are being washed away by floods and our loved ones are being killed by cyclones?   

This week saw the world’s leading scientists under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) underline what Africans already know: the climate is undergoing a critical meltdown. We must treat this with urgency by making things right again. 

The IPCC comprises hundreds of leading scientists from around the world who produce the latest scientific outlook on the state of the world’s climate. Their report may be the last publication of its kind for many years to come. We must pay attention to its findings.

But beyond the devastation and the threat this situation poses to humanity, there is good news. Collectively, we have the technology, resources and the public will to change our course.

At the media launch, IPCC chairperson Hoesung Lee clarified that the solutions we need “already exist”. 

Kenya, for instance, is one of the world leaders in the adoption of clean energy technology harnessed from wind and sun.

Renewable energy

At 92 per cent of renewable energy, Kenya is one of the world’s leaders when it comes to the percentage of its electricity mix generated by renewable power.

Africa has an abundance of wind and sun energy throughout the year. Our development aspirations should be anchored on these clean energy forms as we seek to transition to a low-carbon world. This, we must do.

The fossil fuel giants are trying to convince us that burning more of their coal, oil and gas will solve our problems. The truth, though, is that all this will do is make them richer while further impoverishing our continent with climate breakdown.

Public outcry about climate change is rife globally. The world is waking up to the reality of the threat of burning oil and gas. Economies are planning to cut their carbon emissions to zero in the coming years.  

Fossil-fuel era

As such, the fossil-fuel era has only a handful of years left. It would be foolish of us to build our future on an industry whose writing is on the wall.  

During his recent speech, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the dates for zero emission should be brought forward.

Richer countries should target 2040 as developing countries aim for 2050.

Guterres pulled no punches: “This report is a clarion call to massively fast-track climate efforts by every country and every sector and on every timeframe. Our world needs climate action on all fronts: everything, everywhere, all at once,” he said.

As Guterres notes, we must demand leadership and action everywhere. And who is better placed to lead this charge than Africans? This should be our rallying call.  

The climate catastrophe may be devastating our continent now, but we must not forget that we stand to suffer even more from inaction in the future. We, however, stand to gain enormously by positioning ourselves as leaders in clean energy.

Wind power

In the same way, we are harnessing the power of the sun and wind, the time has come for us to harness the collaborative power of the African continent. The need for a Pan-African approach to this challenge cannot be overstated. This will help bring our nations together, pool our resources, share our knowledge and unite our voices in the call for global climate action.

As the least responsible yet most impacted region, Africa’s voice brings moral weight to this discourse. We can shame the laggards, we can inspire the disillusioned and we can show the rest of the world that ending the era of fossil fuels is within our power.

At COP27 in Egypt, African leaders worked with other nations in the Global South to secure the agreement on the creation of a Loss and Damage Fund. This fund will raise much-needed financial support to compensate communities that have suffered permanent losses owing to climate change.  

At COP28 in Dubai this year, we need a similarly united front to compel other nations, especially the Global North, to commit to the phase-out of all fossil fuels. Turning our backs on the harmful and damaging fossil fuels that have created this mess is the first step and surest way to create a safe and prosperous future for the world.

We can leapfrog fossil fuels and embrace renewables like we leapfrogged the landline telephone technology by going straight to the far superior cell phone technology.   

Science is clear. The agony of our people is undeniable. The world must change course and move in the right direction – and fast. Pan-African leadership should lead this way.

This can be the century for Africa. But only if we powered it with clean, green energy. That is the sustainable bedrock on which to build our foundation for the future.  

Mr Adow is Power Shift Africa director, @Mohadow