Could oil and gas producing African countries clash with Western powers over carbon emissions and climate change commitments? This year's Africa Energy Week conference in Cape Town, South Africa takes place in the midst of an energy poverty crisis in sub-Saharan Africa, and fossil fuel energy generation forms a major part of the solution, delegates discussed on Tuesday 17 October. This year's theme "making energy poverty history " could not ring truer for the millions of Africans who have no access to electricity, despite residing in countries rich in minerals that fuel power grids across the globe. However bleak this situation may seem, African entrepreneurs, policy makers and leaders are resolute in implementing solutions that will eventually make power an affordable commodity. This is against the backdrop of increased pressure from Western countries for African nations to descale their use of fossil fuels in favour of renewable energy sources. But industry stakeholders and political leaders alike have urged that countries put the eradication of poverty above the requirement to reduce carbon emissions in the short and medium term with a long term goal of eventually operating with an energy mix that includes both renewable and non-renewable energy. It was also argued that Africa’s contribution to carbon emissions pale in comparison to that of the very countries encouraging green energy solutions over fossil fuels in Africa.
It’s Africa’s turn now.
From the decentralisation of the fossil fuel energy sector with more newcomers in the field than ever before, to groundbreaking innovations and undertakings in renewable energy, Africa is rising to the occasion as the new frontier for energy sector growth in the world. One idea resonated above all during the opening ceremony: Climate change objectives must not hinder Africa's need to explore both renewable and non-renewable energy sources. Delegates including former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and Namibian President Hage Geingob echoed the sentiments of the Chairman of African Energy Chamber NJ Ayuk's welcome address in which he urged African countries to "drill, baby, drill".
African leaders at the event emphasised the fact that Africa could not afford to forgo opportunities to explore fossil fuels and gas in favour of renewable energy prospects which could take decades to provide affordable and reliable power sources for its impoverished masses. In order to drive the industrialisation needed to move African markets out of third-world status, Africa needs to rally its resources towards the burgeoning discoveries of natural gas and oil around the continent in addition to renewable energy sources.
However, delegates from Uganda and the Republic of Congo admitted that the widespread use of antiquated heating methods for individual households continue to threaten their natural environment as deforestation has largely been driven by the need to burn charcoal and use wood for cooking and other domestic activity.
Climate change and energy poverty are two sides of the same coin, Ayuk told attendees. For the 600 million Africans without access to electricity and the 900 million Africans without access to modern cooking methods, the need to reduce global carbon emissions must come second to the objective of ending energy poverty, he suggested. The new discoveries of oil and gas in Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Equatorial Guinea among others are the beacon of hope Africa has needed, a sign that ‘ It is Africa’s turn now’ said Ayuk during his fiery speech. He urged leaders not to back down and to stand with their energy producers amid pressures to abandon fossil fuel energy sources.
Despite being the continent likely to suffer the most from climate change, Africa only accounts for 4% of global carbon emissions, according to the Global Carbon Budget 2022 report. While produces in carbon emissions, Africa, which comprises 7% of the world’s population only contributes 1,45 billion tonnes while the world’s biggest polluter, China produces 11,47 tonnes, followed by the US whose contribution comprises 5 billion tonnes of carbon emissions. South Africa’s energy minister Gwede Mantashe later pointed out that as wealthier countries are encouraging Africa to close down coal power plants in favour of renewable energy generation, China and the US have over 1000 coal powered power plants each, compared to just 14 being operated by SA’s state utility Eskom. Similar sentiments were expressed by delegates during the Africa Climate Summit which took place in September 2023.
Put your money where your mouth is
Delegates of the energy summit also highlighted the difficulties of raising capital to fund a transition to renewable energy solutions and lowering carbon emissions. According to the World Bank, although global climate finance has increased significantly over the past several years, reaching $632 billion by 2020, it still falls short of what is required for the objectives of the Paris Agreement. A large portion of climate financing coming from developed nations is used for domestic projects. Only 25% of the 2019–2020 tracked climate investments, according to the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), went outside of the country of origin while; 75% was reinvested locally.
