Osinbajo Cautions Against Climate Injustice To Africa

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says a just transition to emissions reductions will mean more energy for Africa and must include ending global energy poverty.
Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said the vice president spoke at  a virtual event on climate finance.
The theme of the event organised by the Atlantic Council is, “Climate Finance and a Jusat, Equitable Energy Transition for Africa.”
The virtual meeting comes ahead of the next conference on Climate Change(COP27) scheduled for Egypt.
The Atlantic Council is a nonpartisan organisation that galvanises US leadership and engagement in the world, in partnership with allies and partners, to shape solutions to global challenges.
”We are already seeing the investment rules limit the technology choices of African countries in ways that do not apply to wealthy nations.
“Applying a set of standards to Africa that you can’t apply in your own country is the opposite of climate justice.
“If the global energy transition is going to become reality, if we are truly, in this climate crisis together, then the priorities of African nations cannot be sidelined.
“Climate justice must include far greater support for countries with the greatest needs and who contribute the least to global emissions.
”It must include investments, not only to mitigate carbon emissions but also to ensure that developing countries can adapt to the impacts of climate change caused by the rich polluting nations.
“ Climate justice must include ending energy poverty; anything else would be the opposite of justice.”
He said that with the impacts of climate change bearing down, every nation must had enough energy to build resilient infrastructure, deliver essential public services, and provide the cooling and air conditioning to withstand a warming planet.
The vice president restated that climate justice must include ending energy poverty.
On expectations at the forthcoming COP27,  Osinbajo said that every nation must play its part in solving the dual crises of global poverty and climate change.
”Africa must be committed to solving both of these emergencies because both poverty and a warming planet affect us more than any other region.
“We are absolutely clear that Africa must be proactive, we must be assertive of our needs, and we must do a better job of making our views heard.
“But we estimate we need an additional 410 billion dollars above business-as-usual investment to meet our goals,” he said.(