London, 16 November 2023 - The UK’s APPG, a cross-party group of UK parliamentarians from the House of Commons and House of Lords held its session on how UK policy can contribute to just energy transitions in Africa. The inquiry seeks to amplify the diverse perspectives of various African stakeholders, especially those voices emerging from African civil society.
The oral evidence session comprised two panel discussions, the first of which addressed what was needed at a national level to meet development needs and prevent social and environmental harm and featured expert contributions from leading experts such as Professor Youba Sokona, former Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Emma Gordon and Gianluca Tonolo from the International Energy Agency (IEA), Nasreen Al-Amin from the Nigerian think-tank Surge Africa, and Professor Bob Mattes, co-founder of the survey Afrobarometer.
The panel discussed, among other topics, the need for significantly augmented investment and financing to accelerate key transition projects such as the democratisation of electricity access and clean cooking fuels, as well as the need to ensure that women share in the benefits of any energy transition on the continent.
The second panel explored what policies, business and ownership models could be fostered to enable inclusive, just energy transitions for individuals and communities. The panel discussion featured expert contributions from Coffi Agossou, Deputy Regional Director, International Labour Organization Regional Office for Africa, as well as Amar Inamdar, Managing Director at KawiSafi Ventures, Boitumelo Molete, Social Development Policy Co-ordinator at the Congress of South African Trade Unions, and Dr Basani Baloyi, Programme Co-Director at the Institute for Economic Justice. Much of the discussion revolved around the employment which new energy systems will create, and the implications of these developments for labour rights and representation. Moreover, panellists discussed how social ownership structures (such as co-operatives) around key infrastructure elements could ensure that individuals and communities are not left behind by radical and rapid industrial shifts.
Негізгі бет Africa's Just Energy Transition: 1st oral evidence session chaired by Lord Jonny Oates & Chi Onwura
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