Climate activists urge leaders to phase out fossil fuels

Some African climate campaigners attending the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference commonly referred to Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates have urged leaders to reject new fossil fuel investments warning that mining of these fuels adds to the climate crisis continues to negatively impact the livelihoods of communities in the Global South.

The campaigners noted that despite Africa’s migration towards the generation of renewable energy, there is a growing concern that foreign oil and gas companies are still hell-bent to establish new fossil fuel investments in African countries.

In their letter addressed to African Heads of State and Governments, 50 African scientists and over 4,000 youth across 30 African countries decried a renewed rush for oil, gas, and coal in the continent, driven by former colonial and neo-colonial powers, urging leaders to reject fossil fuels at COP28.

“While African leadership leaned towards increasing renewable energy investments, there is still widespread concern with the ongoing scramble for Africa by oil and gas companies and the willingness of some nations to engage in new fossil fuel investment,” the letter said.

One of the campaigners Kwami Kpondzo who is the Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Justice in Togo said that the voices of communities affected by climate change need to be heard.

“African leaders have to make the right choice and decision at COP28, decisions which consider their communities’ needs. Fossil fuels phase-out must be a priority for African leaders, not the carbon market that will continue fuelling the climate crisis”, Kpondzo said.

Greenpeace Africa’s Climate and Energy campaigner Thandile Chinyavanhu, said that Africa is making promising steps away from the outdated extractive practices of fossil fuel industries which for decades have locked communities in conflict, human suffering, and ecological death.