African countries must develop their own energy transition timeline that takes into account the urgency of the climate change crisis and the need of the African people.
This was said on Thursday by Minister of Mines and Energy Tom Alweendo during the Bank of Namibia’s 23rd annual symposium themed ‘Maximising economic growth from renewable and non-renewable energy sources in Namibia.’
“It may not be easy, but it will be necessary to take true ownership and custodianship of our natural resources. Instead of facing hopelessness and despair, many more of our young people will be empowered to achieve the future they deserve,” Alweendo stated.
He further noted that developing countries feel that the “how” and the “when” of the energy transition debate are being dictated to them by more developed countries.
Alweendo said Africans must insist on a just energy transition because the continent suffers from acute energy poverty.
More than 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to reliable electricity.
“In Namibia, we have seen how the lack of access to energy puts our people at a disadvantage in almost every area of life.
We can all agree that renewables are the energy sources of the future. However, we are not there yet and even when that happens, renewable energy may not be sufficient to eradicate poverty energy on the continent without significant infrastructural investment that we do not have the capacity for at present,” he explained.
“They cajole us into an energy transition strategy which they have determined according to their circumstances. To convince us of a faster and more rigid energy transition, the messaging is now about how African countries are among the most vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change,” Alweendo said.
He then made it clear that he is not taking issue with the fact that African countries are severely affected by the effects of climate change.
“We are all affected. We have seen devastating droughts and floods in various African countries. Climate change is real, and it must concern all of us,” he stated.
However, what the minister finds unreasonable is when some countries and global interest groups try to dissuade Africa from leveraging all its natural resources.
They suggest, and at times demand, that Africa give up its fossil fuel energy sources as they see these as dangerous and “dirty, carbon-spewing” oil and gas, he said.
“For some of us, this urging from our supposed friends is tantamount to the proverbial “kicking away the ladder,” he said.
The annual symposium is a forum designed to bring together policy experts, academics, and economic development stakeholders to discuss economic and policy issues on an identified topic.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
