As the European Commission (EC) explained, the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy (HLDE) is quite unique, because it marks the first UN meeting on energy since the United Nations Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy in Nairobi in 1981.
Right before the UN High-Level Dialogue on Energy on 24th September 2021 took place, the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Sustainable Development Impact Summit 2021 (SDIS21) kicked off online and addressed a variety of topics, which are most directly or indirectly related to the green transition. This article provides an overview of the various debates, which circled around renewables, climate change and the energy transition. Since the 4th Day of the SDIS21 focused on energy only to a lesser extent, this article provides an overview of the first three days of the summit.
As our last article emphasized, the Energy Action Day on 16th September 2021 marked an event, which led up to the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy on 24th September 2021 and the COP26 in Glasgow from 31st October -12th November 2021. Whereas few insights from earlier sessions were provided within our last article, this article serves to give an overview of the remaining sessions at the Energy Action Day
On 16th September 2021, the Energy Action Day was commemorated through an event organized by the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the United Nations (UN) Environment Programme and the World Economic Forum (WE Forum).
South Africa has an abundance of solar and wind energy sources, yet it is heavily reliant on coal-fired power plants and is one of the world’s major CO2 emitters. Its policies and readiness to adopt renewables in its energy mix have the potential to raise economic efficiency, improve the standard of living of its population and contribute positively to climate change.
During a visit of Angela Merkel at the end of her term in office in Belgrade on 14th September 2021, the German chancellor expressed her interest in Serbia’s lithium. Ironically, this comes just after thousands of protestors have demanded the Serbian Government to cut ties with Rio Tinto, a multinational mining company who aims to execute an ambitious project in West Serbia.
Compared to traditional markets, Africa is young, connected, entrepreneurial and poised for immense growth through regional integration via the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which will create the world’s largest free trade area.
At the world’s largest mobility trade show, IAA Mobility 2021, which took place from 7th-12th September in Munich, Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess urged the German government to stop subsidizing fossil fuels to foster the decarbonization of the automotive sector and accelerate the energy transition.
Despite the fact that the German-South African Energy Partnership is nearing its end in 2022, the German development bank KfW has recently initiated a programme amounting up to EUR 200 million in support of green hydrogen projects in South Africa.
Achieving the goals of the UN SDG 7 and the Paris agreement in Africa will involve a combination of innovation and technologies, substantial investment in infrastructures and human capital as well as implementing regulations that will guide the process of migrating towards renewables.
Access to modern, secure, and affordable energy is crucial for the development of any society and its people.
Centurion Law Group’s Energy Transition Centre connects the dots between local energy markets, African companies and international investors and companies.