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After a 36-hour negotiating marathon, EU policymakers reached a political agreement on what is set to become the global benchmark for regulating Artificial Intelligence.

L'étau se resserre autour de Milan Radoičić. Interpol a émis un mandat d'arrêt contre l'ancien vice-président de la Lista Srpska, considéré comme le parrain serbe du nord du Kosovo, pour avoir organisé l'attaque meurtrière du 24 septembre à Banjska.

- Le fil de l'Info / Courrier des Balkans, Kosovo, Tensions Nord Kosovo, Défense, police et justice, Relations régionales

L'étau se resserre autour de Milan Radoičić. Interpol a émis un mandat d'arrêt contre l'ancien vice-président de la Lista Srpska, considéré comme le parrain serbe du nord du Kosovo, pour avoir organisé l'attaque meurtrière du 24 septembre à Banjska.

- Le fil de l'Info / Une - Diaporama, Courrier des Balkans, Kosovo, Tensions Nord Kosovo, Défense, police et justice, Relations régionales

Dix mois après le séisme du 6 février qui a fait 56 000 morts et 105 000 blessés, les ruines jonchent toujours Antakya, l'une des villes les plus durement touchées. Le Long bazar reprend doucement vie, mais pour les commerçants et les clients, quelque chose s'est perdu et le reste demeure en suspens. Reportage.

- Articles / Une - Diaporama - En premier, Turquie, Une - Diaporama, Courrier des Balkans, Séisme, Société

Quatre candidats se disputent la place de chancelier de la Confédération, dont Nathalie Goumaz, la secrétaire générale du ministre de l’Économie.

The United States kept up pressure on Israel to do more to protect Palestinian civilians during a fierce offensive against Hamas militants across Gaza, even as Washington vetoed a UN Security Council demand for an immediate ceasefire.

Petro-state Azerbaijan has cleared a key hurdle to host next year's UN climate summit despite the controversy over COP28 taking place in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates.

Changing the climate means getting everyone involved. Credit: Earth Child Institute

By Umar Manzoor Shah
DUBAI, Dec 9 2023 (IPS)

In the heart of Earth Child Institute’s mission to nurture the future stewards of our planet, the story of Eric Hansel unfolds as a testament to the transformative power of educating children on environmental responsibility. Hailing from Pennsylvania, USA, Hansel’s journey took a poignant turn when his career as a respiratory therapist plunged him into the harsh realities of a trauma unit, witnessing families losing their children to various diseases. It was during these challenging moments that Hansel resolved to be part of a movement that aimed to instill eco-consciousness in the hearts of the young.

Now, at COP 28, representing the Earth Child Institute, Hansel passionately shares the impact of their initiatives. The Earth Child Institute, founded by Donno Godman at the UN two decades ago, boasts observer status at the United Nations. Their unwavering mission is to mold children into climate leaders through educational programs that span 25 countries, 15 of which are in Africa.

The organization employs a hands-on approach, sending trainers to develop curriculum and work closely with teachers in schools. The programs encompass diverse topics such as clean drinking water, sanitation, and the critical role of planting trees in safeguarding coastlines. The trainers remain on-site until the initial implementation, ensuring a seamless transition to the school system. The Earth Child Institute further supports these initiatives through a grant program, providing essential financial aid to sustain and expand the programs.

Eric Hansel represents the Earth Child Institute at COP28. Credit: Umar Manzoor Shah/IPS

“The crux of their approach lies in recognizing the unique power children hold in driving change. When educated about environmental issues, children become advocates within their families, spreading awareness and influencing behavioral shifts,” says Hansel, emphasizing the effectiveness of teaching kids about planting trees to protect coastlines, a message that resonates differently with the young compared to adults preoccupied with immediate concerns like putting food on the table.

The organization’s reach extends far beyond urban landscapes, covering hundreds of schools in rural areas across the globe. Their ambition is to collaborate with ministries of education in various countries to streamline program implementation and amplify their impact. Through partnerships with organizations like Brazil’s Global Action Classroom program (GAC), Nigeria’s HACEY, and collaborations with local schools and ministries, Earth Child Institute tailors its approach to the unique needs of each region.

In Brazil, the GAC program facilitates connections among kids and young people to discuss environmental issues, bridging gaps between urban and rural communities. In Nigeria, a collaborative effort between HACEY, local schools, and the Ministry of Environment focuses on water, sanitation, and hygiene education. Ghana sees the Earth Child Institute working in tandem with the Ministry of Education, the Forestry Department, and local institutions to emphasize environmental education and tree planting.

Even in regions like Qatar and the Seychelles, where the challenges may be unique due to their geographical and geopolitical contexts, Earth Child Institute adapts its strategies. In Qatar, youth leaders collaborate with local schools in Doha to identify school teams for participation, while in the Seychelles, partnerships with the Ministry of Environment tackle climate change in an endangered small island state.

“However, the real magic happens when these programs resonate with the children. The lifelong relationships forged with schools and the lasting commitment to sustainability that grows over time. When children comprehend the direct impact of practices like proper handwashing on their health, they become the torchbearers of this knowledge within their families, setting in motion a ripple effect that extends far beyond the classroom. Indeed, the seeds of change are best planted in the fertile hearts and minds of the next generation,” Hansel told IPS.

According to the UNICEF report, the number of children potentially exposed to climate risks and their effects is alarming. Currently, over half a billion children are living in areas with extremely high levels of flood occurrence, and nearly 160 million live in areas of high or extremely high drought severity. Most of them live in some of the world’s poorest countries, with the least capacity to manage these environmental risks.

It adds that overlaying maps of projected temperature changes with projected child population data indicates that, under a business-as-usual scenario, by 2050, 1.45 billion children are projected to live in zones where the maximum average surface temperature will change by greater than 2ºC.

Under a moderately ambitious action scenario, this number is projected to drop to around 750 million children. Under a highly ambitious action scenario, the number would drop to 150 million children.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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ECW's Executive Director, Yasmine Sherif, addressed delegates over the urgent need to fast-track solutions for crisis-impacted children during the RewirEd Summit plenary session. Credit: Joyce Chimbi/IPS

By Joyce Chimbi
DUBAI, Dec 9 2023 (IPS)

It is a global catastrophe of astounding proportions that millions of children are on the run today, forcibly displaced from their homes. As conflict and climate change increasingly become the most pressing challenges facing the world now, the number of displaced children has doubled in the last decade alone, reaching a record high of 43.3 million children.

Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW), says that conflict- and climate-change-affected children are the least likely to enroll in or stay in school and are therefore the furthest left behind when it comes to fulfilling their basic human right to quality education. Many of these children are in the poorest and most vulnerable nations. ECW is the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises.

Stressing that the needs are enormous and responses must be immediate before the unfolding education crisis becomes irreversible, Sherif emphasized the need to build climate-resilient education systems as an adaptation measure, including climate change-proof education infrastructure that will ensure learning continuity.

“More than 62 million children—nearly one-third of the 224 million crisis-affected children worldwide in need of educational support—are also affected by grave climate-induced disasters. We have issued an urgent appeal for US$150 million in new funding to respond to the climate crisis. We must act now with speed, for in the face of human suffering and the destruction of our planet, patience is not a virtue,” she said.

Awut Deng Acuil, South Sudan’s Minister of General Education and Instruction, brought the situation there more into focus during an ECW side event on the designated day for education. It was the first time in the history of the COP Summits to have an entire day dedicated to the education agenda, reflecting the strong interconnection between the climate crisis and the global education crisis.

An estimated 70 percent of school-aged South Sudanese children have never set foot in a classroom, and only 10 percent of those who enroll complete primary education. This is one of the worst completion rates globally. As South Sudan faced multiple challenges over many years, a girl in South Sudan is more likely to die in childbirth than to complete primary education.

“There are parts of South Sudan that are completely flooded. I have never seen water that comes and never recedes. You hardly see any land. A week ago, I visited Unity State to assess the impact of climate shocks, and I saw many displaced families. At least 40 percent of schools are flooded and have remained closed since 2021. Before the pandemic, we had 2.3 million children in school; today, we have 2.1 million children out of school. For those still in school, the ratio is 120 students per teacher,” she said.

“To get to school in these areas, children and teachers walk along dikes—barriers built to hold back water—and despite the risks, they are running out of options. Some of the schools are inaccessible for rehabilitation. For those that can be rehabilitated, we use boats to transport rehabilitation material.”

But as the country was picking up its pieces through a peace agreement that has provided stability and normalcy, climate-induced disasters have exacerbated barriers between children and education, rolling back time by derailing access to education.

Sherif said ECW and South Sudan’s education ministry will not recoil from the imposing challenges and have a strong partnership to push the education agenda forward, appealing for additional donors to meet a funding gap of USD 25 million to fully implement the ECW-supported Multi-Year Resilience Programme in the country. She added that the needs are increasing as the conflict in Sudan pushes children out of their homes and into South Sudan.

“Since 2020, we have supported partners in improving access to quality, inclusive education for children and adolescents and increasing retention rates in South Sudan. ECW’s funding focuses on the most vulnerable ones, including girls, internally displaced children, and children with disabilities. Interventions range from covering school fees, reaching students remotely, training education personnel, and implementing child protection pathways in schools. This holistic education must be urgently scaled up to reach all crisis-impacted children,” Sherif emphasized.

Ole Thonke, Undersecretary for Development Policy, Government of Denmark, reiterated Denmark’s commitment to resolve the climate, conflict, and education crises, as they are all different sides of the same coin. The country has announced a new additional USD 6 million pledge to ECW to support the delivery of quality education to vulnerable children and youth at the forefront of the interconnected crises of climate change and conflict, with a particular focus on girls and adolescent girls.

In pastoral communities such as Kenya and the larger Horn of Africa belt, girls are particularly at risk. As the climate crisis threatens to paralyze pastoral economies, families who have lost their livestock are increasingly marrying off their young girls. Current education systems are not equipped to handle the spiraling effects of the climate crisis. In fact, delegates heard that education systems as they are currently structured can only harness 35 percent of the value, talent, and potential nestled within each child—the gift of undiscovered human brilliance.

The side event was held within the context of the RewirEd Summit, which focuses on rewiring learning for green skills, green jobs, and the green economy and ensuring that acquired skills match the needs of current markets and the world’s most pressing needs.

“Since the first RewirEd Summit, we have worked very hard to follow through on the commitment we made to elevate the role of education as the most powerful and valuable opportunity for human development. We needed to bring education to the heart of all these challenges and leverage its potential to offer solutions. We are here because of one of the greatest challenges of our time: if we do nothing about climate change, it will affect the entire future of our planet,” said Dr Tariq Al Gurg, CEO and Vice Chairman of Dubai Cares.

Dubai Cares hosted the second RewirEd Summit to encourage dialogue and action to put education at the forefront of the climate agenda. The one-day summit brought together ministers, high-profile speakers, and panelists from UN agencies, climate actors, international NGOs, academia, marginalized communities, indigenous populations, teachers, and youth, as well as representatives from the public and private sectors from around the world.

“It cannot be business as usual; as long as we keep education confined within outdated, unambitious, and broken systems, we will continue to be in a vicious cycle where for every step forward we take, another pandemic, climate disaster, or conflict will set us back again, if not even further away from our goals to help people as well as the planet. The only way forward is to recognize that the pathway to meaningful progress towards 2030 and beyond must be through positioning education at the core of every single Sustainable Development Goal,” said Reem Al Hashemi, UAE’s Minister of State for International Cooperation.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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The term "coloured" is a slur in the US, but for millions of South Africans it is part of their identity.

Les députés du parti "Les Démocrates" ont voté, ce vendredi 8 décembre 2023, contre le budget de l'Etat, gestion 2024. Ils rejettent ainsi l'ensemble des projets prévus par le gouvernement béninois pour le développement du pays.

Le parti "Les Démocrates" disent non à la poursuite du Programme d'Actions du gouvernement béninois. 82 députés ont voté pour l'adoption du Budget et 27 députés (Les Démocrates) ont rejeté la Loi des finances 2024. Ces mêmes députés démocrates ont pris part aux travaux en commission budgétaire et adopté tous les rapports d'étape y compris le rapport général. Une fois en plénière, ils ont tout simplement rejeté le même document. Par cet acte, ‘'Les Démocrates'' font preuve de mauvaise foi. Ils n'adhèrent pas à la poursuite des programmes et projets inscrits au Programme d'action du gouvernement de Patrice Talon. Les Démocrates ont opté pour un non systématique.

La loi de finances 2024 s'équilibre en ressources et en charges à 3.199,274 milliards de francs CFA contre 3.033,337 milliards de francs CFA en 2023, soit un accroissement de 5,5%. Il est prévu un taux de croissance du PIB de 6,5% en 2024 contre 6,1% en 2023. Le Budget de l'Etat, gestion 2024, réaffirme l'engagement du gouvernement de « poursuivre la politique de redressement des comptes publics au service de l'équité, de la justice sociale et de l'investissement structurant ainsi que les efforts de résilience de l'économie nationale face aux chocs exogènes et aux effets néfastes des changements climatiques ».

MEPs reached a political deal with the Council on a bill to ensure AI in Europe is safe, respects fundamental rights and democracy, while businesses can thrive and expand.
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

MEPs reached a political deal with the Council on a bill to ensure AI in Europe is safe, respects fundamental rights and democracy, while businesses can thrive and expand.
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

MEPs reached a political deal with the Council on a bill to ensure AI in Europe is safe, respects fundamental rights and democracy, while businesses can thrive and expand.
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

MEPs reached a political deal with the Council on a bill to ensure AI in Europe is safe, respects fundamental rights and democracy, while businesses can thrive and expand.
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Un homme a perdu la vie ce vendredi 08 décembre 2023 à Tohouin, un village de l'arrondissement de Dahè, commune de Houéyogbé. Le drame fait suite à une bagarre au cours de laquelle il a cogné sa tête contre le mur. Il disputait un chat avec son vis-à-vis.

Pour une histoire de chat, deux hommes se sont bagarrés ces derniers jours à Tohouin, dans la commune de Houéyogbé. Au cours de la bagarre, l'un des protagonistes pousse son vis-à-vis. Ce dernier se cogne sa tête contre un mur. Ce vendredi 08 décembre 2023, nos sources renseignent qu'il a succombé à ses blessures. La police, informée du drame, se dépêche sur les lieux. Le présumé assassin ayant appris l'arrivée des forces de l'ordre, a pris la clé des champs. Il est activement recherché par la police.

Alexis Donald AKAKPO, directeur général de l'Office béninois de sports scolaire et universitaire (OBSSU) et deux de ses collaborateurs séjournent désormais en prison. C'est à la suite de leur audition vendredi 08 décembre 2023 par le procureur de la République près la Cour de répression des infractions économiques et du terrorisme (CRIET).

Des responsables de l'OBSSU en prison au terme d'une audition vendredi 08 décembre 2023 à la CRIET. Il s'agit de Alexis Donald AKAKPO, DG de l'OBSSU, son comptable et un autre collaborateur. Il est reproché aux mis en cause, des faits de détournement de fonds publics, de blanchiment de capitaux, et d'escroquerie.
Leur procès est annoncé pour le 18 décembre prochain.

F. A. A.

- Agenda / Belgique et Luxembourg

Demander aux pays en développement d'ignorer le gaz naturel revient à leur demander d'ignorer la moitié de leur capacité de production d'électricité

Par NJ Ayuk, président exécutif de la Chambre africaine de l'énergie (https://EnergyChamber.org).

Les dirigeants occidentaux exhortent souvent les pays africains à passer rapidement des combustibles fossiles aux sources d'énergie renouvelables. Ils semblent penser que les nations africaines peuvent passer aux sources d'énergie renouvelables assez facilement, comme si une bonne infrastructure énergétique était déjà en place.

Mais ce n'est pas le cas en Afrique, où près de la moitié de la population n'a pas accès à l'électricité. Beaucoup trop de nos concitoyens ne peuvent pas acheter du lait dans un rayon réfrigéré, faire leurs devoirs après le coucher du soleil ou passer une radiographie à l'hôpital local. À l'heure actuelle, ces 620 millions d'âmes n'ont pas besoin d'électricité verte - elles ont besoin d'électricité, tout court. Il y a aussi les 900 millions d'Africains qui n'ont pas de combustible de cuisson propre. Pour eux, cuisiner avec du bois, du charbon de bois, voire des déchets, fait partie de la vie quotidienne. Il en va de même pour la marche, qui peut durer jusqu'à 20 heures par semaine, pour aller chercher ces combustibles, et pour les risques sanitaires considérables associés à l'inhalation de la fumée de cuisson.

L'urgence même de ces situations exige que nous donnions la priorité à un réseau fiable et à tout le reste ensuite.

Des délais différents

Cette situation contraste avec celle du Royaume-Uni et des États-Unis, où la majorité des foyers sont alimentés en électricité depuis 1930 et 1960, respectivement. Actuellement, la Grande-Bretagne produit 41 % de son électricité à partir de sources renouvelables, et les États-Unis ont récemment vu leur production d'énergie renouvelable dépasser celle du charbon. Ces étapes sont dignes d'intérêt, mais il ne faut pas oublier que ces deux pays profitaient déjà de leurs réseaux basés sur les combustibles fossiles depuis près d'un siècle et qu'ils les développaient. Ils ont passé des décennies à s'industrialiser et à construire des infrastructures solides avant de mettre en œuvre des politiques vertes efficaces. Je ne pense pas que chaque État africain doive suivre le même calendrier, surtout à mesure que les technologies renouvelables s'améliorent. Je demande toutefois aux pays industrialisés de longue date de tenir compte des grandes différences entre leurs paysages énergétiques et les nôtres.

Des besoins différents

De nombreux États occidentaux complètent leur réseau avec de l'énergie éolienne ou solaire, mais dépendent en fin de compte du gaz naturel, du pétrole ou du charbon. Prenons l'exemple des États-Unis, qui produisent 60 % de leur électricité à l'aide de combustibles fossiles et 21 % à l'aide de sources d'énergie renouvelables. La dure réalité demeure : Les combustibles fossiles restent plus fiables.

Jusqu'à quel point ? Le gaz naturel a un facteur de capacité de 65 %, ce qui signifie que les centrales au gaz fonctionnent à pleine puissance 65 % du temps. À l'inverse, l'éolien et le solaire fonctionnent respectivement à 36 % et 25 %. En d'autres termes, ces énergies renouvelables sont environ deux fois moins fiables que le gaz naturel.

Demander aux pays en développement d'ignorer le gaz naturel revient à leur demander d'ignorer la moitié de leur capacité de production d'électricité. C'est déclarer que les Africains méritent la moitié de l'énergie, la moitié du niveau de vie et la moitié de la sécurité de leurs pairs occidentaux.

Il est admirable et avant-gardiste que de nombreux États modernes complètent leurs réseaux avec de l'énergie éolienne ou solaire. Toutefois, lorsque les panneaux se fissurent ou que les parcs éoliens tombent en panne, leurs habitants ont le luxe de pouvoir se rabattre sur un réseau de combustibles fossiles sûr, fiable et bien établi. Il est beaucoup plus facile de rendre un réseau existant écologique que de construire un réseau vert à partir de zéro. Une fois que les Africains auront un accès universel à l'électricité, les conversations sur le climat seront mieux accueillies.

Des coûts différents

L'Afrique compte 70 % des nations les moins développées du monde. Un seul État - l'Afrique du Sud - est totalement industrialisé. C'est une chose d'entendre ces statistiques, et c'en est une autre de prendre des décisions sur le terrain d'un pays en développement. Je pense que de nombreux penseurs occidentaux talentueux et bien intentionnés ne sont tout simplement pas habitués à l'environnement fiscal dans lequel évoluent les dirigeants africains.

Prenons par exemple la logistique des panneaux solaires. Aux États-Unis, l'achat et l'installation d'un panneau peuvent coûter entre 15 000 et 35 000 USD, sans compter les coûts initiaux de réparation d'un toit qui n'est pas adapté à l'énergie solaire, les frais récurrents de nettoyage et d'entretien, ou le remplacement des panneaux tous les 20 à 30 ans.

Et pour les zones non développées, ces frais ne sont que la partie émergée de l'iceberg. Même dans un scénario où chaque panneau est subventionné, leur transport (par des moteurs à essence, puisque nous ne disposons pas du réseau nécessaire aux véhicules électriques) jusqu'à leur destination devient ruineux - il n'y a pas de trains ou de routes fiables dans nos régions les plus pauvres. Les coûts de main-d'œuvre pour trouver des personnes capables d'installer, de réparer et de remplacer les panneaux s'accumulent également.

Une fois ces panneaux achetés, installés et réparés comme par magie, les plus gros problèmes subsistent : Le stockage et la transmission de l'énergie. Même les pays du premier monde n'ont pas surmonté les obstacles technologiques liés à la création de batteries fiables à long terme et à la transmission sur de longues distances pour les installations renouvelables. Le développement, et a fortiori la mise en œuvre, de cette infrastructure entraînera des dépenses faramineuses, même pour un pays industrialisé.

Je ne dis pas cela pour décourager les solutions solaires dans leur ensemble - la technologie a un grand potentiel pour l'Afrique, qui contient 60 % des meilleures ressources solaires du monde. Ce que je veux dire, c'est qu'à l'heure actuelle, l'utilisation généralisée des énergies renouvelables n'est pas réaliste pour la plupart des pays en développement. Notre capital est limité et nous devons l'investir dans des solutions plus éprouvées.

Des investissements différents

Attirer des investissements étrangers en Afrique est déjà difficile dans les meilleures circonstances. Malgré l'énorme potentiel de nos ressources naturelles et la croissance de notre population, les investisseurs mettent souvent les projets africains sur la sellette en premier. Comme nous le soulignons dans notre rapport sur les perspectives pour 2024, le ratio entre les investissements réels dans des projets de création d'entreprises et les investissements potentiels reste inquiétant. Et ces chiffres ne concernent que les investissements dans l'exploration des combustibles fossiles, qui ont fait leurs preuves - verser des milliards de dollars de capitaux uniquement dans les énergies renouvelables est une entreprise encore moins réalisable. En ce qui concerne les énergies renouvelables, nous avons affaire à une technologie relativement fragile et peu fiable, ainsi qu'à des coûts de démarrage élevés, à une infrastructure médiocre et à des besoins énergétiques urgents.

Pour les activistes qui refusent de croire à cette réalité économique, je les invite à relire les engagements financiers pris par les pays développés lors de la COP15. Les nations riches ont reconnu les défis de transition auxquels sont confrontées les nations en développement et se sont engagées à verser 100 milliards de dollars d'ici 2020 pour les aider à lutter contre le changement climatique. Treize ans plus tard, la valeur réelle des dépenses s'est élevée à environ 24,5 milliards de dollars. Les promesses en matière de climat ne survivent pas souvent au premier contact avec un chéquier.

L'énergie solaire, éolienne, hydroélectrique, l'hydrogène vert et l'énergie géothermique ont un rôle vital à jouer dans l'avenir de l'Afrique, mais il est ridicule de suggérer que nos pays en développement se tournent à 100 % vers les énergies renouvelables avant que les pays occidentaux n'y parviennent les premiers. Nos situations humanitaires, infrastructurelles et financières actuelles exigent des solutions concrètes qui récompenseront les investisseurs.

Le gaz naturel a alimenté les épiceries, les hôpitaux et les écoles de l'Occident pendant des décennies - utilisons nos abondantes réserves pour faire de même.

Priorités

Les dirigeants mondiaux ont vu environ 2,3 millions de personnes mourir chaque année du COVID-19 et ont agi en conséquence. Des pans entiers de la planète se sont verrouillés pendant des mois, ont fermé des entreprises et ont modifié leurs habitudes sociales. Aujourd'hui, les nations continuent de consacrer des millions de dollars à la modernisation de leurs infrastructures de santé publique. Les décideurs politiques préconisent des changements dans la médecine, le droit et même la culture pour faire face à la crise.

Pendant ce temps, environ 1,1 million d'Africains meurent chaque année des suites de l'utilisation de combustibles de cuisson dangereux. En d'autres termes, entre 2020 et 2023, les combustibles dangereux ont causé au moins deux fois moins de décès que le COVID. Pourquoi les dirigeants mondiaux ne sont-ils pas plus nombreux à traiter la pauvreté énergétique avec une fraction de l'urgence, de la compassion et des ressources qu'ils consacrent à l'endiguement du COVID ?

En termes simples, la pauvreté énergétique est une crise humanitaire. C'est pourquoi les dirigeants africains continueront à plaider en faveur des solutions les plus pragmatiques possibles, en particulier le gaz naturel. Cette ressource abondante, propre et éprouvée reste notre meilleur outil pour lutter contre la pauvreté énergétique. J'invite les investisseurs à se tourner vers le gaz et j'encourage la communauté internationale à respecter l'engagement des dirigeants africains à utiliser tous les moyens possibles, y compris nos ressources pétrolières, pour répondre aux besoins des Africains.

The so-called "Green Zone" at COP28, which brings together pavilions of non-governmental organizations and companies that are not officially accredited by the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, features a clean energy area showcasing progress made on the ground, at the climate summit in Dubai. CREDIT: Emilio Godoy / IPS

By Emilio Godoy
DUBAI, Dec 8 2023 (IPS)

One of the world’s largest solar power plants, the Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum Park, captures solar rays in the south of this United Arab Emirates city, with an installed capacity of 1,527 megawatts (Mw) to supply electricity to some 300,000 homes in the Arab nation’s economic capital.

However, it is difficult to find solar panels on the many buildings that populate this city of nearly three million inhabitants, host to the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – an unlikely venue for a climate summit at a site built on oil industry wealth and at the same time highly vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis."Financing is the number one priority. The transition must be fully funded, with access to affordable long-term funds. Technology transfer is vital. Renewables are the most recognized and affordable solution for climate mitigation and adaptation." -- Rana Adib

But it is not unusual considering that this Gulf country, made up of seven emirates, is one of the world’s largest producers of oil and gas, which it is trying to compensate for by hosting the annual climate summit, which began on Nov. 30 and is due to conclude on Tuesday, Dec. 12, with the Dubai Declaration.

That is why the Dec. 2 launch of the Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge, endorsed by 123 countries and consisting of tripling by 2030 the alternative installed capacity to 11 terawatts (11 trillion watts) and doubling the energy efficiency rate to four percent per year, along with other announcements, comes as a surprise in a scenario designed by and for crude oil.

Governments, international organizations and companies have already pledged five billion dollars for the development of renewable energy in the coming years at the Expo City Dubiai, the summit venue.

For Latin America, a region that has made progress in the transition to alternative energy, although with varying levels of success depending on the country, these voluntary goals involve financial, regulatory, social and technological challenges to make real progress in that direction.

Peri Días, communications manager for Latin America of the non-governmental organization 350.org, said the existence of a declaration on renewables at COP28 is essential for the phasing out of fossil fuels, the burning of which is the main cause of global warming.

“It is fundamental that the energy transition be fair, include affected communities and the most vulnerable. We have to ask ourselves why generate more electricity and for whom. What we see today is a complementary growth that does not replace fossil fuels, it is not what we need,” the activist told IPS in the summit’s Green Zone, which hosts civil society in its various expressions.

The Jebel Ali power plant, the world’s largest gas-fired power plant, includes a seawater desalination plant to supply water to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The plant is visible on the outskirts of the city, where the climate summit is being held in the Expo City this December. A reminder that renewable energy is still far from replacing fossil fuels, the main cause of global warming. CREDIT: Emilio Godoy / IPS

In the Latin American region, Brazil has emerged as the undisputed leader, developing an installed capacity of 196,379 MW, 53 percent of which comes from hydroelectric plants, 13 percent from wind energy and 5 percent from solar power.

In Chile, solar energy contributes 24 percent of energy, wind 13 percent and hydroelectric 21 percent, although thermoelectric plants still account for 36.9 percent.

Despite the lag since 2018 due to the current government’s outright support for hydrocarbons, which has halted the transition to low-carbon energy sources, Mexico is next in line, with 7000 Mw of solar power capacity and 7312 Mw of wind power, although its energy mix still depends 70 percent on fossil fuels.

Meanwhile, in Argentina, 73 percent of renewable energy comes from wind, 15 percent from the sun, 6 percent from bioenergy and 5 percent from mini-hydroelectric plants.

The Climatescope 2023 report, produced by the private consulting firm BloombergNEF, found that Brazil, Chile and Colombia are the most attractive countries in the region for investment in renewables, while Mexico is one of the least attractive.

Limitations

While it is true that most Latin American nations have set renewable generation targets, they also face hurdles to reaching them. Around the world, this segment suffers from high interest rates for financing, a bottleneck in the manufacture of wind turbines that affects producers, and slow delivery of environmental permits.

Ricardo Baitelo, project manager of the non-governmental Brazilian Institute of Energy and Environment, said the maintenance of policies plays a central role in the evolution of renewables, which require higher generation speed, integration in the electric grid and the reduction of energy losses by moving them from one point to another.

“In recent years, Brazil has intensified the regimentation of renewables, expansion has been steady, but planning is important. And it is necessary to improve processes and build infrastructure, which costs more money,” he told IPS.

The deployment of renewable energies involves concerns about respect for the rights of indigenous peoples and communities, water use, deforestation risks and the impacts of mining for elements such as copper, tin, cobalt, graphite and lithium.

Several reports warn of both the demand for these materials and the consequences.

An electric vehicle recharges at a hotel in northeast Dubai, the second largest city in the United Arab Emirates and host of COP28. In this city built on oil wealth, the Dubai climate summit includes messages of promotion and commitment to renewable energies. CREDIT: Emilio Godoy / IPS

The demand for copper and nickel would grow by two to three times to meet the needs of electric vehicles and clean electricity grids by 2050. The extraction of minerals, such as graphite, lithium and cobalt, could rise by 500 percent by 2050 to meet the requirements of energy technologies, according to the World Bank Group.

Chile and Mexico produce copper; Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, lithium; and Brazil, iron – all of which are necessary for the energy transition, which is not innocuous because it leaves environmental legacies, such as mining waste or water use and pollution.

In this regard, Rana Adib, executive secretary of the non-governmental Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), said the evolution of renewables depends on the conditions of each nation.

The declaration “must clearly include routes for implementation and for a just and equitable transition. Financing is the number one priority. The transition must be fully funded, with access to affordable long-term funds. Technology transfer is vital. Renewables are the most recognized and affordable solution for climate mitigation and adaptation,” she told IPS.

The Dubai commitment implies a greater effort than Latin American countries had in mind.

By 2031, renewables are to account for 48 percent of primary energy and 84 percent of electricity generation, which means wind and solar would double in Brazil.

Argentina, meanwhile, plans to add 2,600 gigawatts (Gw) of renewables by 2030 and Chile has set targets of 25 percent renewable generation by 2025, 80 percent by 2035 and 100 percent by 2050.

Under its 2015 Energy Transition Law, Mexico is to generate 35 percent clean energy by 2024 and 43 percent by 2030, although these goals are in doubt due to stagnant supply of renewables.

Jorge Villarreal, climate policy director of the non-governmental Mexico Climate Initiative, said Dubai’s commitment is feasible, but argued that there must be a radical change in the country’s energy policy.

“It is not oriented towards renewables. On the contrary, we have invested in gas. Permits (for renewable plants) are at a standstill. Mexico has the potential to expand the penetration of renewables. That is where new investment in energy should be directed,” he told IPS.

Mexico committed at COP27, held in Egypt a year ago, to add 30 Gw of renewable energy and hydropower by 2030, although there is still no clear pathway towards that goal.

While governments, NGOs and academia make their calculations, it is not yet certain that the commitment made on day 2 at Expo City Dubai will translate into a clear message in the final COP28 declaration.