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Global energy transition and Africa’s perspective

Energy transition, illustrative picture

In the past two decades, the into force on November 4, (5.1 million metric tons), and
energy transition has been a 2016. It is called the “Paris the European Union (3.5 mil-
hot topic around the world. Agreement” and aims to keep lion metric tons) as the top
Environmentalists, activists, global warming well below 2, three. India, Russia, Japan,
and policymakers have discus- ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius, South Korea, Iran, Saudi Ara-
sed the impact of climate compared to pre-industrial le- bia, and Canada completed
change and global warming. vels. The Paris Agreement has the list. Nearly 70% of global
Policies needed to be imple- brought all nations together to emissions are produced by
mented to make the transition fight climate change and those ten countries. Africa
from carbon-based fuels to re- adapt to its effects. Several produces no more than 3.8%
newable, sustainable energy countries are taking action to of global greenhouse gas
sources. These policies aim to implement it. Multiple coun- emissions. African countries
make a measurable impact on tries have legally committed to are, however, being pressured
reducing carbon emissions. achieving net-zero emissions by developed countries to
Their goal is to urge home- by 2050, including the UK, abandon fossil fuels and
owners and businesses to re- Norway, France, and New Zea- switch to renewable energy to
duce drastically the cost and land. In 2017, the European help save the climate despite
environmental impact of ener- Commission published a list their insignificant emissions
gy. There was a new measure of the world's top ten carbon compared to their western
to climate change adopted by dioxide emitters. This infa- counterparts. Though develo-
196 nations at COP21 in De- mous list ranked China (10.8 ped nations are pushing swift
cember 2015, which entered million metric tons), the USA and broad energy transition,

Perspectives 61