•Greenpeace Africa's political adviser Fred Niebuhr said Africa has the potential to lead the world in the transition to a renewable energy future.
•Environmentalists note that the continent has already warmed by 2°C in some regions since 1900.
Image: FILE
Leading Climate Scientists have urged African leaders to reject fossil fuels at COP28.
Ahead of COP28, close to 50 scientists and more than 2,000 youth across 30 African countries have called on leaders to seize the opportunity to transition the continent to 100 per cent renewable energy.
They asked African leaders to reject the destructive path of fossil fuels.
In an open letter addressed to African Heads of State, the scientists decried a new scramble for oil, gas and coal in the continent, driven by former colonial and neocolonial powers.
The letter calls on African leaders to instead focus on developing modern, decentralised renewable energy sources for the continent.
A Professor at the University of Kisangani, Corneille Ewango said instead of catching up with grounding Africa’s energy systems in the 21st century, we’re being locked to the old and dirty for the benefit of few.
"We are left to deal with stranded assets that would remain. From Mozambique to Uganda and across different African countries, we are witnessing new fossil fuel investments that are incompatible with the Paris Agreement and its 1.5°C warming limit," he said.
Environmentalists note that the continent has already warmed up by 2°C in some regions since 1900.
The letter therefore warns that if current emission trends continue, we could experience a temperature increase of up to 6°C by the end of the 21st century.
“I hope that by the end of COP28, resolutions will have been made to ensure that the UN Loss and Damage Fund and national adaptation plans will be financed by revenues, from those with the most responsibility for causing the climate crisis and with the biggest ability to pay, particularly the fossil fuel industry," Ewango said.
British oil giant Shell on Thursday last week reported a record-breaking profit of $40 billion for the year 2022.
This comes at a time when the world recorded its warmest year ever.
There’s a growing call by environmentalists for African governments to reject diversions from real climate and biodiversity solutions being promoted by polluters and the extractive industries.
This includes carbon markets and biodiversity credit markets, in line with the demand of hundreds of African civil society organisations.
Greenpeace Africa's political adviser Fred Niebuhr said Africa has the potential to lead the world in the transition to a renewable energy future.
"By embracing clean energy and leapfrogging over the age of fossil fuels, African leaders can protect our people, environment, and their economies from the devastating impacts of the climate crisis," he said.