United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO), declared “Viable options exist to power Africa using
mini-grid and of-grid solar, wind, hydro, and biomass technologies. Projects
that use solar panels or small-scale hydro power to provide schools and
villages with power demonstrate what is possible, but the challenge is in
scaling up these solutions to meet demands across the continent.”
Across Africa most people rely on traditional fuels such as
wood, biomass, or charcoal for cooking. Smoke from these stoves not only
threatens public health, but also contributes to climate change as it contains
the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane.
Team Leader on Climate Change in the UNEP Regional Office
for Africa, Emily Massawa, said: “Poverty eradication is Africa’s overriding
priority, with people’s access to clean energy access at the centre of concern.
Renewable power is found in abundance on the continent. Large areas of the
African continent are ideal for solar and wind installations, and geothermal
energy is already exploited in some areas. Use of these renewable and
indigenous resources mean the continent would be able to have more secure and
clean energy supplies, that will also assist in breaking the cycle of
high-carbon development that has led to the world being threatened by
accelerating climate change.”
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