Africa’s opportunities for Green Growth
Africa is at the dawn of a period of unprecedented demographic and economic development. As outlined by the Africa Progress Panel, the continent has the opportunity to choose a model for its industrialisation. A ‘green growth’ model would draw on the region’s vast renewable resource potential, give it an advantage on global markets, and contribute to creating higher quality growth that is both more resilient and more inclusive.
The journey to a more prosperous and resilient future is being forged through two powerful and mutually re-enforcing pathways – the Paris Climate Change Agreement (COP21) and the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The prospects for success are high, since countries large and small participated in the negotiation processes for these agreements. In preparation of the upcoming COP22, Hakima El Haite, Moroccan Minister of Environment and Laurence Tubiana, French Ambassador for Climate Change, have set out the Global Climate Action Agenda to boost cooperative action between governments and non-state actors in order to catalyse early and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Africa’s biggest opportunities lie in energy, city planning and urban mobility, as well as agriculture and other sectors facing major choices for their development. The African Development Bank’s New Deal on Energy for Africa is launching a major initiative to coordinate efforts of all stakeholders on energy in Africa in order to increasing access to clean, modern sources of energy, Others initiatives that aim at enhancing the region’s green growth potential include the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) and the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI). Further afield,the Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture aims at boosting agricultural productivity and incomes, while building resilience to climate change, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.