SA, continent sound caution on net zero goal ahead of COP27
Africa needs time and money to wean itself off
fossil fuels in order to achieve net zero without jeopardising its future, its
representatives are warning ahead of next month's climate talks.
At energy conferences this week, Ghana, South Africa and the African Union have insisted the continent stands by net zero -- the goal of an overall balance in heat-stoking greenhouse gases.
But they warned that the continent was still heavily dependent on coal, oil and gas to power its development.
"Africa is fully convinced and committed to a net zero and supportive of the climate agenda, however. where we may differ is on the timeframe," African Union (AU) energy commissioner Amani Abou-Zeid told AFP on the sidelines of the Green Energy Africa Summit in Cape Town.
Africa's population of 1.3 billion is set to double by 2050, and AU nations aim to make affordable and reliable energy available to everyone by 2063, she argued.
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Funding for Africa's green transition is likely to be a flashpoint at the COP27 climate summit, running in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh from November 6-18.
Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, rich nations pledged $100 billion a year to help developing countries limit climate change.
But they have so far failed to meet the promise -- and prospects have been further clouded this year by the resounding economic impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine.
