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The economic toll of COVID-19 is negatively impacting access to energy and the chances of achieving clean energy for all by 2030.
Renewable energy, digitization and nature-based solutions to climate change and environmental degradation should be the cornerstone of an inclusive and resilient post-COVID green recovery in Africa, participants heard. Africa Day event at the United Nations High Level Political Forum today.
In Africa’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic lies an opportunity to rethink how the continent approaches growth and development; its management of the environment and natural resources; and how to “leverage existing tools and knowledge to move forward, build greener and better,” said UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Africa, Cristina Duarte, at the start of the meeting. virtual event.
“Digitization can be a game changer,” said Ms. Duarte. As COVID-19 changes the way people stay in touch or transfer money and how students receive education, bridging the digital divide will help reduce inequalities in Africa. It was noted that around 250 million elementary and secondary school students in sub-Saharan Africa were affected by school closures during the pandemic, while in other parts of the world, students continued to learn in line.
With the theme: “Green Recovery: Renewable Energy, Digitization and Nature-Based Solutions for Inclusion and Resilience in Africa», The Africa Day event was co-organized by the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA), the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the African Union Commission (AUC).
Africa Day at HLPF is a platform for African Member States and other stakeholders to share experiences and best practices. It is held every year on the sidelines of the High Level Forum.
Digitization can be a game changer.
Cristina Duarte
Special Adviser on Africa to the Secretary-General of the United Nations
This year, Africa Day took place on the same day the AU launched its Green Recovery Action Plan. The plan focuses on climate finance, renewable energy, nature-based solutions, resilient agriculture, and green and resilient cities.
Energy, the heart of production
However, at the heart of a sustainable recovery is easy access to energy. And for a green recovery, access to clean energy is key.
Bridging the digital divide without adequate access to energy would be virtually impossible, we learned at the meeting.
Today, across the African continent, 900 million people do not have access to clean and safe fuels and technologies to cook, heat or light their homes, said UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa.
And just like digitization, the post-COVID recovery offers a huge investment opportunity to increase access to energy because, “the importance of energy goes beyond economic logic. It stimulates the provision of social services – such as health, education and safe cooking, ”Ms. Eziankonwa said.
Earlier, the importance and ripple effect of access to clean energy was underlined by Damilola Ogunbiyi, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Sustainable Energy for All, when she spoke points out that for every dollar invested in clean energy in any country, there is about 0.93 cents to GDP; and that if you give a woman access to sustainable energy, she earns 59% more.
In an interview with Africa Renewal, Ms. Ogunbiyi noted that, “Even if you have a long list of things you want to spend money on, clean energy is where you should focus more because it is. are just good calculations in terms of economic growth. ”
However, in efforts to ensure access to energy for more people, it is necessary to find solutions that are rooted in communities and societies. “And nature-based solutions, such as reforestation, ‘offer some of the best opportunities to do that,” said Vera Songwe, the UNECA Executive Secretary.
However, “the first step is to ensure an increase in supplies of COVID-19 vaccines across Africa. As long as it’s not done; and we are currently less than 3% of the vaccinated African population, any discussion of recovery and resilience becomes doubly difficult, ”warned Albert Muchanga, AU Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Industry and Commerce. at the mines.
For more information on COVID-19, visit www.un.org/coronavirus
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