Just transition could secure access to cleaner energy sources in Africa: A researcher says Africa’s huge renewable energy potential could save lives from air pollution
. The region’s energy sector, through its main sub-sector of household, traffic and industry including power generation, affects air quality and the climate.
The household sector is the main source of air quality and premature deaths on the continent because “the population does not have access to clean energy for cooking. However, the African continent has huge potential for renewable energy, which may contribute to help improve access to clean energy and save lives.”
In 2019, air pollution from all sources was responsible for 1.1 million premature deaths in Africa, said Taure, who explained that there was still a shortage of in-situ measurements to better characterise and understand air quality issues in Africa. Emissions from greenhouse gases and pollutants are “growing fast” and there is no policy control in many African countries. Air quality policies should be put in place with the involvement of the scientific community at national, regional and continental level “to improve air quality and save lives”, she said.
Rebecca Garland, an associate professor at the University of Pretoria, said: “What is clear is that there is most definitely the potential for large positive impacts [from a just transition] on air quality and climate change and this is important as air quality is a serious and growing issue across much of Africa … While the just energy transition can have multiple benefits for air pollution, we’re not seeing them prioritised at energy transition discussions.
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