A civil society organisation (CSO), Don’t Gas Africa, has called on Nigeria and other African countries to abandon investment in oil production and focus on renewable energy.
Speaking yesterday in Sharm El-Sheikh at the sidelines of the 27th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27), the groups lead facilitator, Lorraine Chiponda, said Africa should be focusing it’s expertise on building robust renewable energy infrastructure rather than expanding oil exploration.
“We are faced with a life threatening crisis, which is the climate crisis, that is caused by global warming, which is caused by burning of fossil fuels.
“So we should be closing down fossil fuel pipelines rather than allow African people to continue to die because of climate disasters. Renewable energy is the way to go, it has become cheaper in terms of investment and it’s going to create cleaner jobs,” Chiponda said.
Also Read: Renewable Energy Investment Must Triple By 2030 – IEA
The Don’t Gas Africa facilitator also stressed the need for the multinational oil companies (mainly from Europe, U.S) to be held accountable for the damage caused to the environment in Africa.
She maintained that these oil companies continue to exploit Africa for business profits while going green in their home countries.
“Oil companies need to transition themselves. They need to be accountable for the climate impacts that they have caused. They have devastated the environment, they need to be held accountable and rehabilitate the environment that they have damaged,” she said.
At the global event attended by world leaders and representatives from 198 countries and more than 30, 000 delegates are attending the COP27, another activist, Harjeet Singh, head of global political strategy, Climate Action Network also highlighted the need for developed countries to address the issue of climate “loss and damage” in Africa.
Observers believe that COP27 this year has been met by devastating floods and unprecedented heat waves, severe droughts and formidable storms, all unequivocal signs of the unfolding climate emergency.
There have been simultaneous crises in energy, food, water and cost of living, aggravated by severe geopolitical conflicts and tensions.
In this adverse context, some countries have begun to stall or reverse climate policies and doubled down on fossil fuel use. COP27 is also taking place against the backdrop of inadequate ambition to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
Also Read: AfDB Provides $2.5m for Mozambique Renewable Energy Integration Program
According to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, CO2 emissions need to be cut 45% by 2030, compared to 2010 levels to meet the central Paris Agreement goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century.
A report published by UN Climate Change ahead of COP27 shows that whilst countries are bending the curve of global greenhouse gas emissions downward, efforts remain insufficient to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.
The summit on Nov. 18.
Be the first to know when we publish an update
