Africa and Copenhagen

Posted Oct 15, 2009 | 0 | Filed under:

At the just concluded 2nd African Parliamentarians’ Summit on Climate Change held in Nairobi, it is commendable that African political leaders are making an effort to have a common agenda for Copenhagen. A figure of $70B is being thrown around as the amount of money that African countries are asking for.

What would help make the case for this money, regardless of the amount, would be a clear plan of projects that the money would be used for. These projects should include but not be limited to re -afforestation, renewable energy, energy efficiency and adaptation mechanisms as the effects of climate change are already being felt on the continent.

This would require that politicians work with environmentalists and the business community in making a water tight case for these funds.

And the West should look at this as an opportunity to sell their renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies to the continent. Europe for example, has been developing and deploying clean technology for more than 20 years and that experience and investment would give them a competitive advantage when selling their equipment to African states that will be implementing renewable energy.

The USA is investing hundreds of billions of dollars to help its economy recover. Some of those resources are directed towards innovation and development of clean technology. Tapping into the Africa market would help the USA companies as well.