Nigeria’s vice-president, Yemi Osinbajo has advocated for climate justice for Africa, noting that a just transition would mean more energy, and must include ending global energy poverty.
Osinbajo made this known during a virtual event on climate finance organized by The Atlantic Council, with the theme “Climate Finance and a Just, Equitable Energy Transition for Africa”.
Reacting to Nigeria’s energy requirements over the next 28 year, the vice president said that the country will require huge investments in new infrastructure which will be used in building more roads, ports, industrial parks, and especially power systems.
He noted that for every Nigerian to consume the Modern Energy Minimum of 1,000-kilowatt hours per year by 2050 would require a 15-fold increase in our national power generation.
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Osinbajo said, “we are already seeing the investment rules limit the technology choices of African countries in ways that do not apply to wealthy nations,”. “Applying a set of standards to Africa that you can’t apply in your own country is the opposite of climate justice.”
The VP maintained that the global energy transition will only become reality if all countries are in the climate crisis together.
This will mean that the priorities of African nations will not be sidelined,” he said. “Climate justice must include far greater support for countries with the greatest needs and who contribute the least to global emissions,”.
He explained that there must be investments, not only to mitigate carbon emissions but also to ensure that developing countries can adapt to the impacts of climate change caused by the rich polluting nations.
“Climate justice must include ending energy poverty,” he said. “” Anything else would be the opposite of justice.”
Reacting to the issue of a just and equitable transition for Africa and others, Osinbajo said that there is no such thing as a just transition for countries with no coal and deep energy poverty.
“A Just Energy Transition means something very different for every other African country, including my own country, Nigeria,’ he said.“For us, a just transition means a lot more energy, not less.”
The VP stated that Nigeria remains eternally committed to the net-zero emission by 2060 but would require the support and partnership of other stakeholders.
“To ensure every household has access to cleaner cooking will require access to LPG, biogas and electric cooking for the tens of millions of families still cooking with wood and charcoal,” he said.
Story was adapted from Business Day.
