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Daily Maverick
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Africa can benefit from new global climate alliances
In the wake of America's climate commitment reversals, Africa must make the most of its solid partnerships with Europe and China. US President Donald Trump's attack on the global climate agenda is a risk in a world that increasingly suffers more intense extreme weather events and negative climate impacts. But as fresh climate leadership emerges, new alliances are beginning to look promising. One is a new France-China initiative that is the vanguard of a broader European Union (EU)-China partnership on climate change. Can Africa become a net beneficiary of these movements? In March this year, when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, he reiterated China's commitment to international cooperation to address climate challenges and the need for global climate governance. Then in May, France's environmental minister, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, met China's ecology and environment minister, Huang Runqiu, regarding Washington's changed position on climate. This year, China restated its pledge to the Paris Agreement and to promote the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, in November. France committed to advocating for a closer partnership between the EU and China, which – if declared at the Beijing-Brussels summit in July – would be a landmark agreement. The EU has long been recognised as a leading voice in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations, and has made important strides to decrease its member states' emissions. China, often labelled as a laggard in the negotiations, is in fact a leading nation in energy transition – especially on the roll-out of renewable energy and electric vehicles. It has the largest increase in renewable energy build and electric vehicle development globally. China appears to have surpassed its emissions peak target in 2025, originally scheduled for 2030, and seems on track to achieve its net zero target by 2060, or possibly earlier. It is also recognised as the leading global supplier of renewable energy technologies. Green growth has been an important part of its economic success in recent years, resulting in the World Economic Forum recognising China as a driver of the global transition. Africa, on the other hand, continues to experience regular climate catastrophes, despite its minuscule contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. Pockets of excellence on the continent include Namibia's green hydrogen, mega solar farms in Morocco, wind energy in Kenya and energy transition procurement stimulus in South Africa. But the World Resources Institute says 80% of the global energy deficit is in Africa, which in 2022 received only 2% of global renewable energy investment. Africa already has strong relationships with the EU and China. There is the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative with the goal of 50,000MW of new renewables by 2030 to benefit 100 million people in Africa. The EU and individual European countries are supporting Just Energy Transitions in Senegal and South Africa. The EU-Africa Global Gateway Investment Package has pledged €150-million for energy infrastructure projects in Africa. China partners with 40 African countries on solar, wind, hydropower and biomass projects. This has resulted in 120GW of new power and 66,000km of grid lines. The newly launched Africa Solar Belt initiative has promise. Since 2010, a fifth of China's renewable energy foreign direct investments and construction activity have been in Africa, valued at $66-million. African and Chinese ministers met this month to assess implementation of outcomes from the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac) Summit. The progress report indicated that Chinese enterprises are partnering in African clean energy projects to the tune of $2.94-billion, and a Special Fund for Green Industrialisation has been established. Given these strong foundations, Africa must be assertive and proactive in its relationships with the EU and China. A value-add can also be developed by triangulating the Africa-Europe-China partnerships in climate and energy projects. Africa should use upcoming meetings – like the African Union-EU Summit later this year marking the partnership's 25th anniversary – to promote the continent's green development ambitions and improve climate adaptation and disaster management capacity. Africa should also lead in the further roll-out of the Focac Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027). This must go beyond technical assistance and capacity-building to genuine industrialisation partnerships involving the local beneficiation of low-carbon economy enablers like Africa's critical minerals. The finance agenda must include achieving the increased targets agreed to at COP28, and should address one of the core obstacles – Africa's unwieldy debt burden. The figures are alarming. Total external debt stands at about 24.5% of combined gross domestic product, totalling $685.5-billion, with debt servicing projected to cost $88.7-billion in 2025. Twenty African countries are facing bankruptcy, and the EU and China are major creditors for African debt. One significant initiative to pursue is innovative financing through such mechanisms as 'debt for climate swaps', cancelling debt in favour of climate action. A second is using the carbon credit market mechanisms in article 6 of the Paris Agreement to Africa's advantage. Africa should pursue this approach not only in its bilateral summits with these key partners, but also lobby to have this prioritised in the key forums including the 2025 Beijing-Brussels Summit, Johannesburg G20 and COP30. This will deepen existing alliances and attract other potential partners to be part of a great African climate action story. DM
India Today
06-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Judges call for environmental protection, condemn attack on environmentalists
On the occasion of World Environment Day, recently retired Supreme Court Justice Abhay S Oka and sitting Supreme Court Justice Sanjay Karol called out the attacks on activists and the Judiciary for trying to protect the at the inaugural ceremony for the Climate Change Conference organised by the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Justice Karol drew attention to the annual problem of seasonal air pollution in Delhi and the stink from the pollution in the river Yamuna. Justice Karol also called for cooperation between industry, the judiciary, the government and the people to protect the environment.'I see that there is no conflict between activism in the Indian judiciary and economic growth, or the development of the economy or otherwise in India. There is no doubt that all of us have to work together to achieve the constitutional goal that is set out in the preamble,' said Justice Oka, who was also honoured at the event for his contribution to the development of environmental law in India, praised the activists who fight for the environment, despite the opposition they face.'What I find from my long experience—20 years as a lawyer and nearly 22 years as a judge of three constitutional courts—is that very few citizens show enthusiasm and courage to take up environmental issues. It is not easy to address environmental concerns, as those who raise these issues rarely get active societal support,' said Justice people seriously addressing environmental issues are branded anti-development, accused of obstructing so-called developmental activities. That is the greatest tragedy of our fighting for the environment are fighting for social and economic justice guaranteed under the Constitution. Their ultimate aim is upholding the rights under Article 21. However, those advocating for environmental causes rarely receive societal support. When society doesn't support them, how can we expect public authorities or the government to support them?' said Oka Oka also said that there is no conflict between development and protection of the environment.'Someday, we should debate the concept of development itself. Do we necessarily mean construction of huge buildings, roads, and flyovers, or should development mean providing basic amenities to the poor and needy? That is a separate debate altogether,' said Karol also called for 'grassroots solutions' to environmental "If you were to see our report card in the last 75 years, or since the 1980s, what is it really we have done? Have we done enough to protect the environment, or not? My view is this: a lot needs to be done, at all levels. And I would borrow an expression that the solution to the problem now is grassroots solutions to an international problem. So, grassroots solutions for global challenges. The way forward, according to me, is that we as individuals have to take up the causes pertaining to the environment,' said Justice High Court Justice Jasmeet Singh also spoke about the need to maintain a balance between development and environmental protection, particularly in light of the economic impact. "Limited attention is given to environmental care because of the economic challenges it poses. Transitioning to sustainable practices is frequently seen as costly or disruptive, especially in a developing economy like India. There is significant dependence on fossil fuels. This creates a sense of conflict between environmental responsibility and economic growth. But I believe that challenge can be transformed into an opportunity, an instrument of meaningful change," said Justice advocate Lalit Bhasin, President of SILF and Chairman of the CII National Committee on Legal Services, also said that 'Sustainability is no longer an optional agenda; it is a core element of national and business competitiveness.'Meanwhile, at a separate event to mark World Environment Day at the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Chairman NGT Justice Prakash Shrivastava called for 'collective action' to protect the environment. Highlighting the urgent need to curb plastic pollution, Justice Shrivastava said that 'The National Green Tribunal stands as a sentinel for environmental protection, but our efforts alone are insufficient without the active participation of every citizen.' Must Watch
