By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has warned against global leaders against limiting the development of gas projects in Africa.
Osinbajo said this while speaking during a virtual conference themed: Climate, Conflict, and Demography in Africa jointly hosted by the International Crisis Group, the Royal African Society, and African Confidential publications earlier today.
He said as quoted by Premium Times, “Much of the global investment in clean energy will need to go into Africa. However, instead of prioritising efforts to redirect global capital to our nations, efforts are currently underway to limit the development of gas projects in Africa, violating the principles of equity and justice enshrined in global agreements.’’
Osinbajo while explaining the necessity of gas in developing nations, said the role of gas helps as a bridge fuel, increase the share of renewable energy in the energy mix, and rapidly transition away from firewood-based cooking fuel to natural gas-based cooking, yields both environmental and health benefits.
The vice president emphasized that despite Africa’s contribution to climate change being negligible, Africa continues to be the most adversely impacted by climate change, so much so that public resources that could help modernise the energy mix has to be redirected towards adaptation spending.
“But worse, we are being compelled to make disproportionately huge sacrifices as the wealthier countries continue full speed on defunding gas projects and insisting that gas projects must be defunded as an important component of the drive towards net-zero emissions by 2030,” he said.
Giving reasons for his argument against defunding gas projects, Osinbajo said, “our first obligation will always be to ensure the wellbeing of our people, through access to development services including electricity, healthcare, education, safe jobs, and a safe environment, including access to clean cooking fuels.
“We must prioritize solutions that align with development and climate agendas, this is absolutely important. The global climate conversation can only be equitable and inclusive by putting all people in all geographies at the heart of the endeavor to save the planet.”
