US President Obama - commitment to developing renewable energy in Africa August 1st, 2013
WESSA welcomes US President Obama’s commitment to developing renewable energy in Africa
Jul 2, 2013
Category: Press Releases
United States President Barack Obama has unveiled a US$7 billion project for sub-Saharan Africa to double the region's access to electricity, with a commitment to exploring new sources of energy.
Speaking at the University of Cape Town on Sunday evening, Obama said: “Power Africa is a new initiative that will double access to power in Sub-Saharan Africa. We’re going to start by investing US$7 billion in US government resources. We’re going to develop new sources of energy. We’re going to reach more households, not just in cities but in villages and on farms.”
WESSA is encouraged by and supportive of this commitment. We aspire to a South Africa that meets its energy needs in a sustainable way, thereby fulfilling constitutional and global energy governance obligations where everyone has access to affordable, safe energy services that are not harmful to people or the planet.
In South Africa energy poverty still affects large numbers of people whose well-being is negatively affected by limited access to electricity, use of dirty or polluting fuels, and excessive time spent collecting wood to meet basic needs. According to the Energy Poverty Action initiative of the World Economic Forum, "Access to energy is fundamental to improving quality of life and is a key imperative for economic development”. This view was echoed by President Obama in his speech on Sunday, with reference to Africa specifically.
With South Africa’s Integrated Resources Plan 2010 – 2030 commitment to cleaner energy and the on-going roll-out of solar and wind energy generation, WESSA believes the opportunity exists for a stronger alliance between countries and organisations committed to cleaner energy initiatives which will result in the improvement of the quality of life for all South Africans while reducing the country’s above-average carbon footprint.
WESSA supports the responsible planning, permitting, and production of renewable energy resources. The organisation believes that renewable energy resources are essential to the environmental well-being of our nation and planet. Such facilities must be designed to minimize adverse impacts to natural resources.
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For more information contact:
Avril Wilkinson – WESSA Energy Programme Manager
Email: avwil@worldonline.co.za
Cell: 083 4556 043
Information courtesy of WESSA South Africa