Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has said on the way to tackling climate change, countries must make the eradication of poverty top priority.
Outgoing secretary general of the oil cartel, Mohammad Barkindo, said on Tuesday that the world was not doing enough to reach the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement.
The OPEC scribe who spoke at the organisation’s 21st coordination meeting on climate change, said there was need for all countries to enhance their nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
“However, developing countries, in particular, are struggling more than ever with energy security in the face of the pandemic, in addition to climate change adaptation measures,” he said.
“Therefore, it is essential that we leverage this platform to enhance collaboration and cooperation on these issues.
“We need to continue to fight for energy security in a sustainable and just manner, apart from the climate change challenges. Eradicating energy poverty must remain at the top of our agenda,” Barkindo said.
He said OPEC is concerned that energy exporting countries can lose out once more due to impulsive decisions that led to disorderly energy transition.
“In order for our countries to develop and for a just transition to occur, we need to have the opportunity to develop our energy resources in a clean way as possible,” he said.
“This requires international cooperation and partnership and the provision of sufficient finance, along with technology research and transfer.
“This will have the additional effect of supporting oil market stability and in turn the world economy, which is still recovering from the pandemic.”
According to him, when countries experience energy deficiency, they latch on to available energy sources, at the cost of higher greenhouse gas emissions.
Barkindo said insisted that affordable, clean energy for all was necessary for both the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.
“It will require the contribution of all forms of energy, with technology supporting their most efficient possible production and use,” the OPEC boss said.
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