Protesters march against the Lamu Coal Power project in Nairobi. FILE PHOTO | NMG
In the just concluded Africa
Energy Leader Summit on Climate Change, Energy and Energy Finance in
Ethiopia, there were rigorous discussions from delegates on why Africa
needs to put emphasis on a just energy transition.
What
is a just transition? A just transition is a guide that sets out how
investors can pursue the goal to create a better, safer, more
sustainable future. This mechanism ensures that workers and community
rights are safeguarded as they rise to meet the climate challenge. The
ambition of a just transition was included as part of the 2015 Paris
Agreement in which Kenya and many African governments are signatory to.
The
rationale of embedding a just transition in our energy plans is a big
responsibility of both the African governments and the corporations to
actualise. For governments and the political leadership, a just
transition presents an opportunity to solve complex challenges at once:
the climate emergency, the ever growing inequality and social exclusion.
For
investors and corporations, a just transition needs to be made a core
part of their business models. Their investment plans should have a
deliberate exposure to critical social and environmental dimensions such
as employment impacts, sustainability and ecological considerations.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Social justice being at the core of the just transition,
corporations could consider pursuing dialogues with workers and other
key stakeholders as part of this journey. Integrating their voices
remains an important aspect of their beliefs and policies.
But
there are potential threats to the just transition ambition: The
ongoing contradiction between the plans to explore and expand fossil
fuels sources such as coal, oil and gas, with the globally agreed
climate targets that we have set of limiting global warming to less than
1.5 degrees celsius.
Scientific evidence has
consistently called for a halt to the fossil fuel proliferation due to
debilitating impacts they have on the climate, livelihoods, public
health and the environment. The ambition is to ensure that countries
become carbon neutral by phasing out fossil fuels.
Countries
have committed throught the nationally determined contribution (NDC) in
order to set the right momentum for this to be realised. This is the
time for all the environmental ministers in African countries to scale
up this ambition and take action.
This has to be
deliberate in the sense that deep conversations with stakeholders has to
be undertaken, consesus built and resources mobilised to actualise
this. Legislations have to be drafted, policies made and executed in a
timely manner but most importantly, leadership and political will must
be upheld to actualise this.
Globally, most countries
are phasing out coal projects. This is based on the consensus that coal
is carbon intensive and a major contributor to the current climate
crisis. Coal-fired power plants are being replaced by renewable energy
sources such as wind and solar in order to considerably reduce the green
house gas emissions. Countries have drafted a phase-out plans to
achieve this and have shut down numerous coal-fired power plants.
Africa
has a unique opportunity to create its own path for a greener and
healthier environment and society. It is regressive for Kenya to be
thinking of investing in a coal power plant in Lamu and coal mining
activities in Kitui at a time when the world is transitioning to
cleaner, just and better energy systems. Kenya needs to halt such
ambitions. This will play a bigger part in meeting the Paris Agreement
targets.
Without a doubt, the potential for renewable
energy exists in Kenya and across the African continent. What is needed
is to incentivise its production, implement renewable energy laws,
policies and regulations and decentralise the energy systems to address
the energy poverty.
This forms part of the just
transition. This comes with numerous benefits especially protecting the
citizens and the environment against adverse climate impacts. Investing
in renewable energy potential will help challenge the existing
injustices perpetuated by fossil fuel industries..
Since
Kenya is among the largest producers of renewable energy in the
continent, notably from wind, geothermal and solar,it bears the
responsibility to lead from the front in setting up an action plan for a
just transition. Practically and as part of the just transition
journey, governments should establish just transition funds.
CLIMATE ACTION
Such
resources are important in order to support activities that address the
climate action and related employment risks from decarbonisation, and
cushions workers, vulnerable communities, regions and industry sectors.
However,
the government cannot do this alone. Relevant multilateral, regional
organisations and financial institutions should phase out their support
of fossil fuels and invest more of their resources in clean, sustainable
renewable energy sources. Such a transition should not leave the
communities, workers and citizens behind.
Njehu is Senior Political Advisor, Greenpeace Africa
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