Kathy Gibson reports from the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town – Africa has a population of almost 1-billion, but more than 600-million of them have no access to electricity at all. This is one of the statistics from the new Africa Progress Report, released today.
Graca Machel, founder of the Graca Machel Trust, comments: “The information in the report will shock you, but it will give indications of what can be done and that will give you hope.”

She points out that, at the rate we are currently providing electricity, it will take until 2080 to reach every African. “None of us will be here,” she says. “And we cannot take the risk of leaving to future generations what we have the capacity to do now.

“We need to examine the risks and opportunities and seize the opportunities.”

A lot is being spoken about industrialisation on the continent, about accelerating the building infrastructure of all kinds, about expanding health and education.

“It is clear that the energy sector has to be the engine of all this,” says Machel. “Clearly we have to increase our capacity to provide energy to citizens and to industry.”

She adds that Africa is rich in energy-generating resources. “What are the steps we are taking to make the right choices to develop energy without increasing the risks to people and the planet?”

This year, 2015, is an important one in energy circles, with a number of international meetings set to agree sustainability goals and emission goals.

“This year we are going to make huge commitments for how, in the next three decades and beyond, we will do the right things in an accelerated way.

“Yes, we use the natural resources we have, such as gas and mineral resources, to accelerate the provision of energy to people. But we need to use clean and renewable energy.

“As a continent we have contributed the smallest part of carbon emissions, so we didn’t cause the problems, but Africa has a responsibility to take the lead in proving that you can develop with clean and renewable energy.

“We have the opportunity to make those choices; and we challenge governments to have clear plans on balancing the provision of energy using the resources we have, but predicated on clean and renewable energy.”

Machel believes 2015 will be the year of big decisions and a bold approach to development. “It is the year in which we have to accept that we don’t have a choice. Climate change is with us and we need to counter its effects and its impact on people. It is not a question of whether we like it or not; we have to take responsibility.

“If we don’t want to have the droughts, floods, refugees and women suffering to get fuel and water, we don’t have choice. Failure to change the way we do business is almost suicide for us.”

Trevor Manuel, the author of South Africa’s National Development Plan, urges leaders to take cognisance of the report. “The fact that we will only be able to electrify Africa by 2080 is unacceptable; we cannot leave our people behind like that.

“In the context of clean energy, we need to leapfrog the rest of the world.”

Manuel would not be drawn on the issue of nuclear, saying only that there is a variety of different options that include renewables and nuclear.

He points out, however, that Germany has begun the decommissioning of its nuclear plants, and plans to decommission its coal plants as well in favour of renewable energy.

The Africa Progress Report stresses that Africa does not have to choose between economic growth and low carbon development, but that bold action needs to be taken to ensure it moves on the path of clean energy.