Africa Climate Summit Falls Short of Fossil Fuel Phase-Out, Draws Criticism
By Dauda Abbas
The Africa Climate Summit, which concluded on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, has faced criticism for its inability to reach a consensus on a new developmental paradigm aimed at reducing the continent’s reliance on fossil fuels.
The African Leaders Nairobi Declaration, while advocating for a “commitment to an equitable and expeditious reduction of coal usage and the cessation of all subsidies for fossil fuels,” missed a pivotal opportunity to acknowledge the pressing necessity of phasing out all fossil fuels as the crucial initial stride toward a just transition in Africa.
For weeks leading up to the Summit’s conclusion, African civil society had been sounding the alarm regarding the potential for a disappointing and hazardous outcome.
They attributed this risk to the interference of foreign interests in the Summit’s agenda, prioritizing their profits over the welfare of the African populace and the global climate.
Seble Samuel, Head of Africa Campaigns & Advocacy for the Fossil Fuel Treaty initiative, lamented, “Despite Africa’s possession of greater solar, wind, and hydroelectric potential than any other continent, the Africa Climate Summit failed to harness this unparalleled resource. Regrettably, the Nairobi Declaration refrained from demanding the cessation of activities by the three principal contributors to the climate crisis: oil, gas, and coal. Instead, it proposed potentially perilous distractions such as carbon markets.”
Moreover, she emphasized, “This narrative is not accidental but rather intentional. African civil society has consistently raised concerns about the co-optation of the summit by foreign interests. What is urgently needed are the demands of African grassroots movements for alternative, self-determined development models, an end to the fossil fuel era, and a transition to renewable energy that prioritizes the well-being of all.”
The declaration was issued shortly after the UN Secretary-General issued a clear plea to the world’s major developed and emerging economies: “I earnestly implore the G20 nations, responsible for 80 percent of global emissions, convening this week in Delhi, to shoulder their responsibilities.”
Patience Nabukalu, an Ugandan activist and member of Friday’s for Future and Stop EACOP, expressed her disappointment, stating, “The Africa Climate Summit presented an opportunity to defuse the numerous climate challenges facing the continent, including projects like EACOP. However, by failing to unequivocally commit to halting the expansion of fossil fuels, the Summit disregarded the demands and solutions proposed by African citizens who seek an end to the fossil fuel era. It should be understood that the exploitation of oil, gas, and coal will not lead to development.”
She further asserted, “African civil society has a comprehensive plan to ensure a sustainable and equitable future, one that does not involve the exploitation of our resources for the benefit of wealthier nations. Instead, the Global North must support the most vulnerable and least responsible countries in their transition to clean energy. Therefore, the establishment of a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is imperative.”
Furthermore, Fadhel Kaboub, an associate professor of economics at Denison University and president of The Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity, expressed his deep disappointment, saying, “It is regrettably unsurprising that the Africa Climate Summit found itself entangled in the web of fossil fuels. While it had the potential to showcase African leadership on climate issues and provide an opportunity for Northern countries to assist the continent in harnessing its potential, the summit instead perpetuated the familiar economic dynamics that sustain inequalities under the guise of ‘development policies.'”
He emphasized, “Africa is not an unlimited resource for affluent nations; rather, they owe a significant debt to the African people. The time has come for true international cooperation, which entails supporting the continent in a gradual and equitable transition away from fossil fuels to accelerate its shift toward sustainable energy. The creation of a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is the missing instrument necessary for Africa and the world to forge a future free from fossil fuel dependency.”