ECO has discovered an opportunity for new friendships! The launch in Paris of the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) was a significant outcome of COP21. AREI aims to provide universal energy access for all Africans by implementing 10GW of new renewable capacity by 2020, and doubling the continent’s electricity production through an additional 300GW of renewable capacity by 2030. At COP21, developed countries committed US$10 billion in support by 2020.
ECO has a few ideas on how to create momentum from this. For example, COP22 can extend this ambitious initiative to a larger range of countries, including non-African LDCs, SIDs and other developing countries as another step towards a truly global renewable energy partnership. Like last year, this could become one of the most meaningful achievements of COP22.
It’s uplifting that there are indications from other developing country groupings who are eager to undertake similar efforts. Could COP22 see the launch of a new voluntary partnership involving all friends of renewables and the delivery of new support pledges?
ECO likes friendships and thinks such an initiative could strengthen action on renewables in a wider range of countries. Friends that help share experiences and lessons, enable the scaling up of finance, and assist each other in making use of existing financial resources in the GCF and elsewhere. They could help maintain the momentum of Paris and help close the ambition gap to achieve 1.5°C.
Friendships have to start somewhere, and ECO hopes to see further progress on this opportunity here. Friends don’t leave friends behind, and we know that to keep warming to below 1.5°C, together we must all accelerate the transition to 100% renewable energy, while ensuring concrete actions and success in Morocco.