Africa Needs Climate Justice in Warming World, CEO Says
Rich nations must do more to help Africa mitigate the devastating impacts of global warming and offer climate justice to the continent, the leader of AXIAN Group says.
‘’There’s a huge injustice, where the people who were polluting less are suffering the consequences of global warming,’’ AXIAN Group CEO Hassanein Hiridjee said. ‘’In Africa, we see massive typhoons, massive drought, and massive warming. It’s time for the rest of the world to work with us to combat the crisis.’’
It’s been a turbulent year of catastrophic climate events across Africa. A new analysis from Carbon Brief found that extreme weather in Africa has killed at least 4,000 people and affected a further 19 million since the start of 2022, with drought, famine and floods causing devastation across the continent.
As the world’s leaders gather in Sharm el-Sheikh for the UN Climate Change Conference, the organization’s Secretary General António Guterres has urged rich nations ‘’to prioritize support to the most vulnerable through bold long-term commitments and action.’’
The Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC), of which AXIAN Group is a founding member, convened at COP27 on November 9 and signed a climate statement in which CEOs of the continent’s top companies pledged to uphold several key commitments to galvanize climate action.
‘’We hear the alarming warnings of the scientific community and understand that although Africa has contributed the least to creating the climate crisis, its people, its ecosystems, its economies, and its cultural heritage are among the most vulnerable and least prepared to adapt,’’ the African Business Leaders Climate Statement said.
The ABLC is a UN Global Compact initiative, aiming to bring the perspectives of African business leaders, and their ecosystems, into the global conversation. Click here for the full climate statement.
According to the International Energy Agency, 43% of Africans still don’t have access to electricity. AXIAN’s recently launched New Energy Africa, an initiative to develop infrastructure for renewable power projects across the continent, aims to change that.
‘’We’re already transforming Africa’s energy mix. We’re already pushing renewables,’’ Hiridjee said. ‘’The cost of renewables now is lower than for fossil fuels. Everyone is totally aligned with green energy. Everyone knows that renewables are the solution.’’
Launching initially in Madagascar and Senegal, New Energy Africa will support projects that strengthen the region’s energy inclusion, support its economic growth, and promote the transition to cleaner fuels.
AXIAN is a pan-African group operating across five core areas including real estate, telecoms, financial services, energy, and innovation. The company’s mission is to build an organization that creates a lasting, positive impact. AXIAN has 6,000 employees, working across 28 countries across the Indian Ocean and Africa.
AXIAN is an experienced clean energy operator in Africa, connecting 30,000 people in rural Madagascar to the electricity grid last year alone. The company now provides 80% of the country’s solar power. READ: Six African Countries in Debt Distress, 15 Warming Up
The AXIAN Group is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact initiative and is committed to the integration of its 10 Sustainable Development Goals into group strategy, policies, and operations. # Africa Needs Climate Justice in Warming World, CEO Says
