Energy Transition and Mobility

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Energy Transition and Mobility

Energy Transition and Mobility

The energy sector has been critical for growth and development since the dawn of civilization. Energy needs have been rising exponentially with every consecutive industrial revolution and in the process giving our planet a terminal diagnosis.The energy sector is the leader in global emissions accounting up-to nearly three quarters of total emissions. The African continent accounts for 3% of total global GHG emission with the energy sector contributing to a mere 4%.Climate action calls for immediate course correction to reduce GHG emission, and embark on the NetZero race to achieve the 1.5 degrees limit.

Africa finds itself in a peculiar intersection, whereby its growth and development goals demand high energy consumption, global pressures to shift to cleaner energy sources, advance effects of climate change and inability to meet the financing needs for mitigation and adaptation.

Cities are at the forefront of the fight against climate change and the challenges are huge on energy, land, housing, mobility,provision of basic services and infrastructure which is all compounded by high population density and continuous rise in population. Urban mobility in particular not only contributes to climate emissions and air quality, but also goes beyond pollution to affect quality of life and economic opportunity for a growing majority of the world’s population of which the majority resides in cities.

The transport energy needs is accelerating faster than any other sector, still has a heavy reliance on fossil fuels and by far the lowest share of renewables among end-use sectors. Transport accounts for close to a third of aggregate final energy consumption. Only 3.7% of this is met by renewable sources. Road transport currently accounts for around three-quarters of global transport energy use. These challenges provide an opportunity for cities to embark on a sustainable development path for long term resilience.

As countries, policymakers, governments and researchers admit the need to mitigate climate change, the most urgent is for economies to shift energy production away from fossil fuels and transit to renewable sources. Consequently, the core of this side-event would focus on deepening the case on advancing the revolution of clean energy for mobility in African cities.

Scaling up renewable energy generation across Africa is vital for achieving sustainable development and bringing health, wealth, and opportunity to the citizens of the continent’s 54 countries. Africans make up around 17% of the global population, but responsible for only around 4% of annual emissions. On a historical scale, the inequality of emissions is even greater. Since the dawn of the industrial revolution, the African continent has been responsible for just 0.55% of cumulative emissions. The USA, by comparison, is responsible for 20% of all emissions released since 1850.

While Africa has made a negligible contribution to global emissions to date, the continent is forecast to experience some of the most severe and frequent climate impacts. Higher surface temperatures, rising sea-levels, changing rainfall and precipitation patterns, increased climate variability, and more frequent droughts, floods, and heatwaves, are all but guaranteed in the years ahead. These impacts will frustrate efforts to achieve sustainable development across Africa, with the GDP per capita on the continent already taking a 5 to 15% hit due to climate change. Adapting and mitigating climate change in Africa will require investments of around $108 billion a year, according to the African Development Bank.

A report from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) predicts that global energy consumption will increase by 1.8% in 2024, driven by strong demand in Asia. The report also predicts that demand for fossil fuels will reach record levels, but demand for renewable energy will increase by 11%.

By investing in a circular and green economy, companies can ‘leapfrog’ in digital and materials innovation to embed ESG, low-carbon development, sustainable production, and consumption at the heart of their businesses.

It is in this regard that we analyze the implications of technological innovations, markets, and regulatory frameworks on energy transitions, and what it means for governments, the private sector and communities even as we influence policies and legal frameworks and strengthen institutional capacities.

Our goals in this regard are to:

  • Identify and support development of precursor policies on energy transition, sustainable urbanization, level of implementation and workability in African context.
  • Analyze financing options tailored at energy transition, renewable mobility for developing economies.
  • Remodel locally-driven initiatives curated to mitigate effects of climate change.
  • Bridge the gap between energy transition, renewable energy policy and implementation.
  • Establish partnerships across industry experts to accelerate the African sustainable mobility solutions.