Africans must resist being bulldozed in energy transition timetable debate

December 13, 2023 in Energy, Investment, Opinion, Renewable by Editor

Ayuk agrees that African oil and gas-producing countries should and will do their part to support global emissions-reduction goals however they must refuse to let the world set the timing for when Africa will ease up on oil and gas exploration and production.

For several years now, writes NJ Ayuk, wealthy nations and environmental organizations have been strong-arming African countries to leave their petroleum assets in the ground. The stance of the African Energy Chamber has been consistent: Yes, African oil and gas-producing countries should and will do their part to support global emissions-reduction goals. Yes, the dangers of climate change should be taken seriously.

However, we refuse to let the world set the timing for when Africa will ease up on oil and gas exploration and production. We are convinced that oil and gas production, when managed strategically, provides a pathway for economic growth and energy security, and we are determined to help Africa realize those benefits.

African countries have every right to set the timing for their energy transitions. And like nations around the world, African states will be exercising those rights.
The world must understand that African countries cannot be on the same energy transition timeline as Western countries. Africa still needs time – time that the Western world has already had and, frankly continues to milk – to resolve energy poverty and industrialize.

In 2021, global CO2 emissions hit 37.12 billion tonnes. China ranked first in contributing 11.47 billion tonnes; the entire continent of Africa contributed 1.45 billion tonnes, only 4% of global carbon emissions. In fact, over the last two decades, Africa’s total contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions has never been above 4% — by far the smallest share in all the world. Africa has the lowest per-capital emissions of all continents, averaging 1 tonne of CO2 emitted annually by each individual. The average American emits as much CO2 in one month as the average African does in an entire year.

And yet, Africa is disproportionately being punished for the climate catastrophe that, let’s be honest, was initiated and is perpetuated by Western and developed economies.

While we at the African Energy Chamber agree that it’s important to develop affordable and sustainable green technologies to supply our energy, we strongly disagree with being pigeonholed into accepting the West’s one-size-fits-all timeline.

I hear from Africans who are skeptical about the benefits of oil and gas because they have seen the problems caused by the energy sector. You could make the same arguments about the Internet, which has been blamed for harming social relationships, decreasing our safety and security, and damaging children’s cognitive development. Yet, used wisely, the Internet does considerable good as well, and I’m not hearing widespread calls to get rid of it. My point is, oil and gas can and does do good — the key is to be smart about how we capitalize on our resources.

Some 600 million people on the continent still lack adequate electricity access or even clean cooking technologies. These Africans aren’t focused on the fact that reliable energy infrastructure facilitates economic growth by generating jobs, increasing productivity, and reducing the cost of doing business. Most would be elated to have light in their homes after dark or the ability to refrigerate their food.

But think about Africa’s abundant energy potential! By 2050, the continent will be home to 11% of the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) market and the second-highest growth supply of gas. By tapping into the vast stores of natural gas at our feet, we can first work to eradicate energy poverty from the continent, and then secure our economic growth as we transition toward renewables.

We Africans should be setting the timetable for Africa’s transition. What I’d like to see instead of Western pressure to bring African oil and gas activities to an abrupt halt, is a cooperative effort. Partnerships, relationships rooted in respect, open communications and empathy. What does that look like? It begins with the belief that when African leaders, businesses, and organizations say the timing is not right to end our fossil fuel operations, we have a point. That when we are discussing our own countries, we know what we are talking about.

Clearly, we still have progress to make. Too many outsiders suggest that African leaders are being manipulated or influenced by greed when they work to foster oil and gas exploration and production in their countries. Few seem to believe that, when countries establish and fine-tune local content laws, adapt investor-friendly fiscal regimes, and promote policy that protects human dignity, they are making reasoned, strategic moves to create better futures for their people.

NJ Ayuk is the Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.  He is also the founder and chief executive officer of the Centurion Law Group, a Pan-African law firm that operates in the energy, financial, and extractive sectors.