Following EU’s dangerous fossil gas push will put Africa in danger…

adebayo obazemu

An African Union technical committee has warned over a dangerous push by the EU to supply gas, a situation climate activists say has the potential to put the continent at risk of locking Africa to fossil fuels in the coming decades.

Meanwhile, African leaders are said to be considering a new position that would prioritize natural gas and nuclear over clean, cheap, renewable energy.

Recall that the Technical Committee of the African Union – which is made up of Energy Ministers, previously forwarded the “African Normalcy on Energy Access and Transition”.

This position essentially refers to fossil gas and nuclear power at the expense of renewable energy, and is proposed for adoption by African heads of state and was launched at COP27.

The development comes on the cusp of the EU’s recent vote in favor of a new rule that would consider fossil gas and nuclear projects “green”, qualifying them for low-cost loans and subsidies, and Africa’s energy sector. Scramble them for resources.

To recall, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned in 2020 that there is no room for new fossil fuels.

Experts consider gas development pushed African countries down the path of fossil fuel production, and thwart any plans to sharply cut greenhouse gas emissions to keep global temperatures below 1.5 °C. There is also capacity. To avert even more devastating climate impacts.

Campaigners worry that the situation will fail to achieve its objectives of ensuring energy access and transition.

Mohamed Addo, Director of Power Shift Africa, said: “Africa is blessed with an abundance of wind, solar and other clean renewable energy. African leaders must maximize this potential and harness the abundant wind and sun that generate energy. Will boost access and help combat climate change. Africa does not need to be tied up with expensive fossil fuel infrastructure that will become obsolete in a few years as the climate crisis worsens. “This is a shameful betrayal for the African people. which is already on the front lines of the climate crisis, if African leaders use November’s COP27 climate summit on African soil to switch Africa to a fossil fuel-based future. Africa doesn’t need the dirty energy of the past, it needs futuristic leadership that can leverage the clean energy of the present and the future.”