Cop25: What is the impact of Africa?
Africa needs clean energy.
The energy choices made today for Africa’s economic growth will determine not only its future development but will also contribute to global warming. Electricity is still a big challenge in Africa. Two-thirds of Africa’s population lives in total darkness. However, Africa is full of raw resources and If its countries do not move towards clean energy, they may, unfortunately, follow the path based on polluting energies borrowed by China and India, responsible for two million premature deaths per year in these two countries.
South Africa and the Maghreb are the zones that emit gas the most in African. Still, Africa emits only 4% of global greenhouse gas while being the home of 17% f the world’s population. We, Africans are not responsible for the beginning of the story in the climate crisis, but we will have a great impact on how it will end.
Africa could be home to at least half of the world’s population growth over the next years, with a doubling of population in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the UN. If we have to live in a world where global warming is contained at 1.5 ° C, Africa has a role to play.
Egypt is completing the construction of the largest solar park in the world, with funding from the World Bank. But its 2,000 megawatt capacity is nothing next to the coal-fired power station in the Hamrawein area, which is being built with Chinese funding. China is funding 30 gigawatts of coal-based projects in Africa, Many of these projects will come into operation in five or ten years.
For clean energy to prevail, it is necessary to recognize the need to avoid emitting greenhouse gases, not just to reduce them, explains Mohamed Adow. “The UN must encourage Africa to stay on a” clean “path, he told AFP. But to get there, it takes money and technology to move to the next step after fossil fuels. “
