The conference on Energy Renaissance in Africa (AERC), organized by Power Shift Africa, promises to be a major event on this year’s energy policy calendar.
From August 29th to September 1st, 2023, experts from the African continent gathered in Athi River, Kenya, to discuss the advancements in energy transition—a pressing issue.
Civil society actors, environmental activists, and a range of organizations are determined to rethink the destiny of the African continent concerning its role in the fight against human extinction.
The continent is gradually decolonizing itself from Western models that rely on fossil fuels, which harm populations, livelihoods, and household economies.
At the heart of the discussions, Africa, the global powerhouse of energy transition, has garnered attention from experts across the board.
Considered positively as one of the leading countries in energy planning, Kenya appears as an inspiring model for green economies in local initiatives, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example. The country’s hydropower speaks even more to its success. Morocco is also highly regarded for its solar energy.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, a country at the heart of Africa, is making waves in the new Summit. The country is striving to propel its renewable energy initiatives, such as those in the Virunga Park.
On a regional scale, the country is seen as the catalyst for an energy transition in the sub-region, with the caveat being the rights of local communities and the issues of climate justice.
Olivier Ndoole, the representative of the country at the AERC and the 2023 laureate of the Global Front Line Defenders Award for the Environment and Land in Africa, describes it as the driving force behind the development of this transition in the sub-region.
“The DRC is the future for energy transition as it possesses strategic minerals and necessary resources. The just future lies in being an integrating pole that promotes the take-off of development and equitable energy justice, benefiting both rural and urban areas, including the poor. It is the foundation of climate action; its massive forest, the second largest in the world, gives it a prominent position in this transition process,” he believes.
The Summit on the Renaissance of Energy Transition, held in Kenya, aims to foster dialogue and collaboration among African energy policymakers. This conference serves as a preparatory forum before the African Climate Summit and the Climate Week in Africa, organized by the United Nations.
Supported by Power Shift, CAN, Oil Change International, and Oxfam, to name a few, this Renaissance on Energy Transition within the African model expects decision-makers and policymakers to shape the future of the energy landscape on the continent.
Flavien MUHIMA
