Africa urged to embrace wind power to create jobs and go green

(Reuters, 4 Mar 2021) Africa has only tapped into 0.01% of its wind power potential, which could smooth the transition away from climate-warming fossil fuels.

Wind could power Africa's energy demands 250 times over and create jobs lost in the move away from fossil fuels but the continent has only tapped into 0.01% of its potential, wind experts said on Thursday.

Wind projects are growing fast, with 724MW of new capacity added in 2020, bringing the total to 6468MW across Africa - equal to taking more than 2 million cars off the road, said the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), which represents the sector.

"Now is the time to urgently scale-up wind power in the region ... as a driver of local jobs and investment to power a green economic recovery from the pandemic," said Emerson Clarke, Africa Task Force Coordinator at the Brussels-based GWEC.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa has warned that the continent faces its first recession in 25 years due to output losses caused by COVID-19 and climate change-related droughts, floods, rising seas and food insecurity.

External link

Reuters, 4 Mar 2021: Africa urged to embrace wind power to create jobs and go green

More Related News

Green recovery

31 Jan 2022: Stalled 'Build Back Better' package threatens U.S. climate influence

20 Dec 2021: Manchin delivers potential fatal blow to Biden's $1.75 trillion spending bill

18 Oct 2021: How to tackle COVID-19 jobs crisis and climate change? Invest in clean energy

2 Sep 2021: Pandemic a lost opportunity to speed energy transition, consultancy says

26 Aug 2021: Scottish Green Party announces plan with Government to build a green economic recovery

20 Jul 2021: Emissions will hit record high by 2023 if green recovery fails, says IEA

15 Jul 2021: Trillions of dollars spent on Covid recovery in ways that harm environment

11 Jun 2021: Hard-hit by COVID-19, Latin America seen skimping on climate cash

31 May 2021: EU, Japan seal ‘green alliance’ in bid for climate neutrality

26 Apr 2021: Clean energy shift a chance to 'raise' people and the economy, Biden says

20 Apr 2021: Green stimulus plan could create 1.2m UK jobs in two years, research finds