How can UK policy contribute to Africa's Just Energy Transition
Royal African Society
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Experts address the financing, investment, policy and business model initiatives needed to promote just energy transition in Africa at Parliamentary Inquiry
The Royal African Society administered All-Party Parliamentary Group for Africa (APPG) holds first oral evidence session into African-UK Partnerships for Just Energy Transitions
London, 16 November 2023 – The UK’s APPG, a cross-party group of UK parliamentarians from the House of Commons and House of Lords held its session on how UK policy can contribute to just energy transitions in Africa. The inquiry seeks to amplify the diverse perspectives of various African stakeholders, especially those voices emerging from African civil society.
The session, which focussed primarily on environmental and social justice issues relating to the just energy transition, was chaired by Lord Oates, the House of Lords Co-Chair of the APPG for Africa. Lord Oates was joined by committee colleagues Chi Onwurah MP (Chair of the APPG), Baroness Lindsay Northover (Vice-Chair), and Patrick Grady MP (Vice-Chair).
The APPG exists to facilitate mutually beneficial relationships between Africa and the UK and challenge negative stereotypes pertaining to Africa where they persist,
The oral evidence session comprised two panel discussions, the first of which addressed what was needed at a national level to meet development needs and prevent social and environmental harm and featured expert contributions from leading experts such as Professor Youba Sokona, former Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Emma Gordon and Gianluca Tonolo from the International Energy Agency ?(IEA), Nasreen Al-Amin from the Nigerian think-tank Surge Africa, and Professor Bob Mattes, co-founder of the survey Afrobarometer.
The panel discussed, among other topics, the need for significantly augmented investment and financing to accelerate key transition projects such as the democratisation of electricity access and clean cooking fuels, as well as the need to ensure that women share in the benefits of any energy transition on the continent.
The second panel explored what policies, business and ownership models could be fostered to enable inclusive, just energy transitions for individuals and communities. The panel discussion featured expert contributions from Coffi Agossou, Deputy Regional Director, International Labour Organization Regional Office for Africa, as well as Amar Inamdar, Managing Director at KawiSafi Ventures, Boitumelo Molete, Social Development Policy Co-ordinator at the Congress of South African Trade Unions, and Dr Basani Baloyi, Programme Co-Director at the Institute for Economic Justice. Much of the discussion revolved around the employment which new energy systems will create, and the implications of these developments for labour rights and representation. Moreover, panellists discussed how social ownership structures (such as co-operatives) around key infrastructure elements could ensure that individuals and communities are not left behind by radical and rapid industrial shifts.
Panellists were asked to submit their contributions in writing to the Committee for incorporation and consideration in the final report which the APPG for Africa will produce following the hearings.
The themes covered in this session will be further examined and tested as the parliamentary inquiry progresses, with the next hearing due to take place on the 11th December 2023.
Click the link to watch the full session.