African legislators led by Nigerian Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe have called on G7 countries to provide greater financial assistance to help African nations combat climate change and harness their vast renewable energy potential.
In a letter to the Italian Prime Minister, host of the recent G7 Summit, 50 African MPs emphasized Africa’s critical role in achieving global climate goals. They argue that Africa, with the world’s largest potential for renewable energy, is a “swing continent” in the fight against climate change.
Despite this potential, the MPs point out a significant lack of access to climate finance for African nations.
While Africa holds immense renewable energy potential, they received only 0.8% of global investment between 2000 and 2020. Senator Abaribe stressed the moral obligation of developed countries, considering their historic contribution to the crisis, to address this disparity.
The parliamentarians outlined three key requests: debt forgiveness, reform of the financial architecture burdening African nations, and a commitment from the G7 to deliver on previous climate finance pledges. They urged the G7 to lead the energy transition by strengthening climate plans and unlocking finances for developing countries, highlighting the mutual benefit of investing in powering Africa’s energy potential.
The appeal comes after the G7’s commitment to launch the “Energy for Growth in Africa” initiative, signaling a potential step towards increased support for the continent.
