TOPIC: ‘GREEN ENERGY INTIATIVES: A PART TO MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE AND IMPROVING
HEALTH’.
Africa is endowed with significant renewable energy sources, including solar, wind,
Hydropower, biomass, and geothermal, whilst the cost of sustainable energy technologies is
Continuously decreasing. Today, the continent’s primary energy needs (including for electricity,
Transport, heating, and cooking) are met by fossil fuels (50%) and unsustainable biomass or
Waste (48%), with negative environmental consequences (air pollution, desertification) and
Climate change. Thus there is still large untapped potential to increase the deployment of
Green energy in the continent.
Technology solutions are abundant and ready to be deployed while development
Cooperation funds can help to leverage private sector investments in clean energy.
Team Europe can address the risks while making the best of the opportunities by
Acting together and promoting more partnerships for a green transition that mutually
Benefits African partners and the EU, environmentally, socially, and economically.
EU-AU Summit held in February 2022, Team Europe proposed the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative
(AEGEI), to consolidate the joint sustained efforts to support green energy investments in Africa. AEGEI
is an integral part of the Africa Investment Package and the Global Gateway, for clean, and secure
investments, and mobilize EUR 300 billion (EUR 150 billion in Africa).
The Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI) is Africa-wide. It will include actions at continental,
Regional and national level. By 2030, AEGEI aims to support the deployment of at least 50 GW
Of additional renewable energy generation capacity, providing at least 100 million people with
Access to electricity.
The Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative will:
Support transformational infrastructure projects (clean energy generation and
Transmission projects, but also off-grid decentralized solutions) identified by the five
African Power Pools. Assist African partners to create an environment conductive to the deployment of
clean energy technologies and uses, through technical assistance to develop adequate regulatory,
Legal and business frameworks.
Climate mitigation has the potential to protect and improve people’s health, as well as reduce
emissions. Climate change poses many health threats to people around the world, from the spread of
diseases to food and water insecurity. But climate mitigation can help minimize these impacts. That
includes actions to reduce reliance on fossil fuels by using clean, renewable energy. It also involves
transitioning our current food, transport and housing systems to more sustainable ones. Making these
changes can also bring many substantial health benefits.
Here, I will share five examples from The Lancet Pathfinder Commission report that show how climate
mitigation actions can protect and improve people's health.
1. Shifting to healthier transport in New Zealand
Transport is one of New Zealand’s largest sources of emissions and the number of trips involving walking
and cycling in the country is declining.
To counter this, New Zealand’s central and local governments launched the Model Communities
Programme in 2010. The initiative focused on promoting cycling and walking. Analysis showed that the
programme successfully encouraged cycling and walking for shorter car trips. This shift in transport
helped cut back 1,150 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions between 2011 and 2013. It also led to
substantial health benefits and a fall in injury rates.
2. Transitioning to renewable energy in the US
The US significantly increased its use of renewable energy between 2005 and 2016 and made several
changes to its power sector. This led to lower levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and air pollution
and, consequently, fewer air pollution-related deaths and hospitalizations.
Increasing solar and wind power generation helped avoid 147 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions in 2015 alone. And, between 2007 and 2015, it helped avoid an estimated 3,000 to 13,000
premature deaths. This shift to renewable sources of energy was estimated to benefit the economy
between US $30 billion and more than $100 billion.
3. Switching to low-emission vehicles in Japan
Many environmental issues in Tokyo, Japan, have been caused by the rapid industrialization and use of
cars since the economic boom that followed World War Two. About 20% of Tokyo’s CO2 emissions are
caused by the city’s transport sector, and automobiles make up 78% of this.
To counter this, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has introduced several measures to protect the
environment, including the Vehicle Emission Reduction Program. The initiative, launched in 2001, made
it mandatory for businesses with 30 vehicles or more to set plans to be more environmentally friendly.
One way of doing this was switching to low-emission, fuel-efficient vehicles.
More than 1,500 businesses created five-year plans and annual reports in response to the programme.
In total, there was a reduction of 440,000 tonnes of CO2 produced by the participating businesses in the
financial year 2021 compared to 2016. Initiatives like this could greatly reduce emissions and improve air
quality for the city’s residents.
4. Improving household energy efficiency in Australia
The Victorian Healthy Homes Program in Australia set out to understand the impacts of upgrading
household energy efficiency on people’s health and quality of life.
As part of the study, 984 low-income houses across western Melbourne and the Goulburn Valley were
upgraded between 2018 and 2020. The upgrades focused on keeping houses warm during winter,
including installing insulation, draught-sealing and window coverings. The study found that minor
upgrades to homes, at an average cost of AUS $2,809 per household had wide-ranging benefits.
It resulted in lower gas use, which reduced emissions as well as the cost of energy bills. There were also
several health benefits – from reduced breathlessness to improved mental health.
5. Protecting forests by meeting community needs in Indonesia
More than 60% of protected lowland forests were lost to illegal logging in West Kalimantan, Indonesia,
between 1985 and 2001. The non-profit Health in Harmony consulted with local communities to find out
why. They learned that in order to pay for healthcare costs, many people had to resort to illegal logging.
This included the cost of the healthcare itself, as well as travelling to use services, paying for food and
housing, and loss of income while off sick from work.
To respond to the community’s needs and protect the forests, the non-profit launched a local health
clinic in 2007 in partnership with the district government and national park management. The clinic
accepted non-cash payments, such as seedlings and handicrafts, and provided discounts on care based
on the volume of logging in a patient’s community. To create lasting impact, conservation programmes
were also set up and educational activities and training on sustainable livelihoods were offered.
Over 28,400 people accessed the clinic, and the intervention resulted in a 70% reduction in
deforestation.
These case studies show that climate change mitigation presents a real health opportunity across many
sectors. And, if governments implement more actions like these at scale, they could help secure a
liveable future for all.
Read our explainer to learn more about climate mitigation, how it benefits health and what needs to
happen next.
