Page 6 - AfrOil Week 49 2022

AfrOil COMMENTARY AfrOil

Africa’s role in climate change remediation fuels in Africa can make poverty and inequal-
Delegates at COP27 agreed to create a fund that ity worse while not accomplishing much in the
would compensate poorer nations harmed by way of reducing global greenhouse emissions,
climate change. Eligible countries are in Africa, especially as fossil fuel use continues around the
Asia, the Pacific, and the Caribbean. world.
Reaction to the announcement has been
far-ranging, from cheers to assertions that it is In the end, we ask for this
paternalistic (and perhaps even racist), to the We at the Africa Energy Chamber are not writ-
earnest admissions of some scientists that it’s ing this letter with animosity; nor are we neutral
difficult at his stage to gauge climate change on the importance of détente between the US
damage in such regional terms or tell if a spe- and Africa on the range of issues that are on the
cific weather event is even due to climate change. agenda of the Summit. Indeed, we are candidly
Then there were those who asked if, instead grateful for the robust approach the new US
of receiving loss-and-damage dollars, African administration has taken on matters of US-Af-
nations could be paid to keep hydrocarbons in rica cooperation. We applaud the US leadership
the ground, thereby avoiding whatever green- for its continuous engagement with us as well as
house gases they would emit. various African presidents.
Of course, any such “reparations,” as they But any observer of the growing indecisive-
have been loosely (and, from a legal standpoint, ness on the future of Africa’s use of its resources
inaccurately) called, depend on the UN actu- for its own betterment must agree that the Sum-
ally raising the estimated $290-580bn per year mit offers a chance to break energy transition
required to keep the loss-and-damage fund stalemate and offer solutions to Africa’s dual
going. And as we know, no matter how good the obligations to support climate-smart policies
intentions, it’s not always easy to bring them to while also striving to end the vast energy deficit
fruition. and economic poverty on the Continent.
Regarding African energy resources in par- We know that for three days in Washington,
ticular, we encourage participants to promote DC, everyone will work toward tangible, meas-
sustainable development, including universal urable results. What we hope is that, throughout
energy access, recognising that it will require a the events, the parties gravitate towards mutual
variety of energy sources. Africa has too much accommodation and the overall betterment of
oil and gas to ignore, especially when they can conditions in Africa.
be used to raise people to the way of life most Most of all, we are asking that everyone who
Americans have been enjoying for decades. attends the summit only makes promises they
Africa should not be the test case for a renewa- can keep. The time for empty gestures is over.
bles-only future because the world finds itself in Today calls for action. The true test of how suc-
a panic over emissions. cessful the summit is will not be the news reports
We have to draw the line somewhere when it about it but the results we see in the months and
comes to negative externalities. Ramachandran years to come.
has said Africa needs reliable energy infrastruc-
ture, not rich-world hypocrisy. To paraphrase NJ Ayuk is the executive chairman of the Afri-
Benjamin Attia and Morgan Bazilian of the Col- can Energy Chamber (AEC). Article reprinted
orado School of Mines, limiting the use of fossil courtesy of AEC. ™

PIPELINES & TRANSPORT
NNPCL signs deal with five countries for

Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project

NIGERIA Nigerian National Petroleum Co. Ltd following the addition of five new signatures.
(NNPCL) has signed a memorandum of under- The countries that signed to join the MoU are
standing (MoU) with five African nations, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
marking a significant step in the advancement and Sierra Leone.
of the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) At the signing ceremony in Rabat, Morocco,
project. NNPCL’s Group Managing Director Mele Kyari
The proposed 5,600-km pipeline will con- emphasised the crucial role of natural gas as a
nect 13 African countries at an estimated cost transition fuel and affirmed that the group is
of $25bn. Seven of the 13 countries along the fully equipped to spearhead the development of
proposed route have now signed the agreement, the pipeline project.

P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 49 08•December•2022