In order to address the climate crisis and hasten the transition away from fossil fuels, experts have urged African nations to embrace renewable energy sources.
They pointed out that the emissions produced by producing renewable energy are significantly lower than those produced by burning fossil fuels, which currently produce the majority of emissions.
According to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Africa has enormous potential for wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal energy, and their costs are steadily declining, making them more affordable. Mineral resources are abundant in Central and Southern Africa and are necessary for the manufacture of electric batteries, wind turbines, and other low-carbon technologies.
According to IRENA, decisions made today will shape the continent’s energy sector for decades.
The experts’ call comes against the background of the report by energy think tank Ember’s European Electricity Review, which stated that Wind and solar produced a record fifth (22 percent) of European Union electricity in 2022, overtaking for the first time fossil gas (20 percent).
The findings said Europe’s use of coal is now falling – and it’s not coming back and that countries remain as committed to phasing out coal as they were before the crisis.
The report noted that record growth in renewables is only just starting: For the first time, wind and solar reached a fifth of EU electricity in 2022. It said Solar generation rose the fastest, growing by a record 39 TWh (+24 percent) in 2022—almost twice its previous record—which helped to avoid €10 billion in gas costs.
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A cheering news from the Ember report estimates that fossil generation could plummet by 20 percent in 2023, double the previous record from 2020. Coal generation will fall, and gas generation, which is expected to remain more expensive than coal until at least 2025, will fall the fastest.
Reacting to the report, Global Wind Energy Council, Africa Director, Wangari Muchiri, said one of the lessons African countries can learn from this is to embrace “our abundant renewable energy resources, which are some of the best in the world.”
Similarly, Chief Executive Officer of Africa Climate Ventures, and Founder of the Climate Action Platform, Africa, James Mwangi, described the report on Europe as both encouraging and a warning for Africa.
He said the data underlines the risk that Africa faces of ending up with stranded assets in terms of large investments in fossil fuels energy infrastructure, at a time when Africa also has a huge abundance of untapped renewable energy potential.
Speaking on the report, the Director, of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey, said the authors are enthusiastic that the attainment of net zero in the 2030s by Europe will make the 1.5C targets attainable.
He noted that the reality is that many contributory factors to the rise of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are still not seriously tackled and there is no real resolve to keep fossils in the ground. “Moreover the 1.5C target already spells trouble for Africa and the Small Island States,” Bassey added.
Story adapted from The Guardian
