Is it time for Africa to fully embrace green energy?

Climate Story Lab Africa (CSL) has brought together various groups for a two-day event in order to shift cultures, drive social change and build communities in an effort to accelerate climate communication through radical stakeholder collaborations.

The 8th-9th of July event will see storytellers, creatives, policymakers, media, civil society, NGOs, Private sectors, Social innovators, and communities at the forefront of climate action discussing and re-imagining a people-centered climate action through storytelling and Communication.

According to CSL, communities in Africa depend on nature being in balance for their livelihood except, climate change has been hindering that thus the need for finding possible lasting solutions.

“For Africa, adaptation and resilience are urgent, our people cannot afford to wait, they need climate solutions that speak to our immediate present and future. This lived experience plays an important part in finding solutions that speak to our unique regions and way of life across Africa. It forms the crux of our next economic and social transformation,” CSL noted.

Climate Story Lab Africa Project Lead, Wanja Emily, has confirmed that the event will be having co-curated panels on Energy for Africa with all the factors that shape the past and future of Africa expounded since the conversations are urgent and need collective participation and action.

Doc Society which is also powering the event has explained that being in a climate emergency calls for impactful climate communications.

“We need to challenge ourselves to move past the monoculture of past climate narratives by identifying and amplifying biodiversity of stories and Communication as diverse as the ecosystem we seek to save, “Doc Society said.

Africa needs massive amounts of energy for an economic transformation that gives its people a prosperous and decent quality of life. With the population in the continent projected to triple to 3billion by 2060, our continent still has a long way to go in terms of transitioning equitably towards a green economy.

Speaking during the first day of the event, Regional Director for Africa World Resources Institute and Chair of Wangari Maathai Foundation, Mathia Wanjira, stated that Africa is not in the same boat as the rest of the world and that leaders need be called to their responsibilities for change to be effective.

“To survive the climate crisis, We must change Africa’s energy narrative. At least 600 million people in Africa lack access to electricity,” she explained.

The Program Manager of Sustainable Energy Futures, Eastern Africa at the Society for International Development (SID), Passy Amayo, has on the other hand echoed that Africa has to transition to green energy as it is affordable and accessible only needs to be created by our governments.

She further noted that despite our greenhouse gas emissions being the least (5percent)on the planet, we are the most affected by climate change.

Climate Activist Udeh Chiagozie stated that Africa has very great renewable resources at its disposal that can help the continent get into a green future and even create a market that will be a good source of revenue and industrialization.

According to founder and director of Magiro Hydroelectricity Ltd John Magiro, “It is important to see ourselves in a future that is dignified and truly made for us as Africans as clean energy is possible and should be made accessible for all Africans”.

The event powered by Docubox East Africa in partnership with Climate Justice Resilience Fund(CJRF), Doc Society, Christian Aid, and Exposure Labs will explore collaborative climate communication with the best Storytelling to achieve full potential and reach communities most affected by climate change in Africa.

This lab is the 4th globally and the first in Africa in a series of interventions bringing together the creative and campaigning expertise of Exposure Labs and Doc Society with the best of the Good Pitch impact labs determined to accelerate climate communication.

Green energy comes from natural resources, is environmentally friendly, and reusable. Sun, wind, and water are some of them.

Philly Opere.