In the near future, the GDP of countries will not be solely based on economic performance. The state of health of its citizens will also be a major determining factor of a country’s well-being and this will be dictated by the country’s level of carbon emissions. This is following the recent move to see countries shift to more environmentally- friendly sources of energy. In South Africa, more than 55% of the population lives in poverty while 25% grapple with extreme poverty. The fact that the country is reliant on coal and other fossil fuels as its main source of energy does not help the situation. The result of carbon emissions from fossil fuels will hit the poor hardest. It results in droughts, barren farmlands, and extreme weather conditions such as cyclones; meaning that a fossil fuel economy is a win-lose situation for fossil fuel countries. Moreover, countries such as China and India are shifting toward cleaner energy, which is leaving little to no export options for fossil fuels. There is, therefore, need to transition to green and sustainable energy. Read more at All Africa.
Dear D –
Real economic development must go hand in hand with protecting the welfare of citizens. Innovations and investments in clean energy are what Africa needs at the moment to build a sustainable economy. As many countries are looking to shift to cleaner sources of energy, countries whose economic prosperity is driven by fossil fuels are at risk of collapse. Africa as a whole receives more sun than any other continent and its coastline is rich in capacity for wind and wave energy. This presents a lot of potential to produce high amounts of clean energy and possibly do away with fossil fuels.
Do you think Africa can cut off its reliance on fossil fuels by tapping into its abundant renewable energy resources? Share.