AD 2021: Great Threats to Humanity: Sustainable Energies and Climate Change

November 19, 2021

Climate change is the defining issue of our time. The last decade was the hottest in human history and has seen an increase in natural disasters. These shocks not only damage the environment on which humans depend, but they weaken political, economic, and social systems as well. Tackling climate change requires unparalleled levels of global cooperation. It will compel countries to question their economic models, invent new industries and recognize the moral responsibility that wealthy nations have to the rest of the world, thus placing a value on nature that “goes far beyond money.” One way to combat climate change and reduce the drain on our planet’s resources is to shift to systems that utilize sustainable energy. Renewable energy minimizes carbon pollution and has a much lower impact on our environment. While it will cost money to shift to renewable energy, it will cost much more in the long run if the world fails to do so: Given the current uncertain global context resulting from the health crisis, are countries committed enough in the battle against climate change? How can countries lower the cost of the transition to low-carbon sources of energy? What are the significant policies needed to foster the use of sustainable energy? To pursue its battle against climate change, the EU has introduced a carbon border adjustment mechanism as part of its “Fit for 55” package. What are the possible implications of such mechanisms? Are carbon taxes an adequate tool to incentivize countries to decarbonize? Moderator: Uduak Amimo, Journalist and Consultant, Uduak Amimo Coaching and Consulting, Kenya Speakers: - Nchimunya Hamukoma, Research Manager, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator (ADEL) - Sunjoy Joshi, Chairman, Observer Research Foundation, India - Mari Luomi, Research Fellow, KAPSARC - Saïd Mouline, CEO, Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency AMEE

Speakers
Uduak Amimo
Journalist and Consultant, Uduak Amimo Coaching and Consulting
...
Nchimunya Hamukoma
South Africa
Head: Funder Partnerships & Strategic Projects, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator
Nchimunya Hamukoma is the Head: Funder Partnerships & Strategic Projects Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, a South African based youth employment organization serving 2.5 million young people through their online mobile platform SAYouth.In her role she is responsible for driving and incubating new priority sectors within the organization  such as Micro- enterprise  and Agriculture and  working with funder partners to co-create impactful grant programs. She is an economist & policy strategist passionate about optimizing the conditions for human thriving. Her work focuses on understanding the building blocks of Africa's future and helping governments and organizations solve complex problems. During Covid-19 she worked with organizations to forecast the trajectory of ...
Saïd Mouline
CEO, Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency AMEE
Said Mouline est un Ingénieur spécialisé dans les secteurs de la Protection de l’Environnement, diplômé de l’Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble et de l’Université de Pennsylvanie à Philadelphie. Ancien Conseiller en Développement Durable du Président de l’OCP et du Ministre de l’Energie et des Mines en 1989,  il a intégré le Centre de Développement des Energies Renouvelables (CDER) en 1992 en tant que Directeur Scientifique et Technique. Said mouline a également occupé plusieurs postes de responsabilité au sein du groupe Finance.com, toujours dans le domaine de l’Energie et de l’Environnement, et a été chargé du programme QualitAir à la Fondation Mohammed VI pour la protection de l’Environnement. Nommé par sa Majesté le Roi Mohammed VI, Directeur Général du CDER le 06 ...

RELATED CONTENT

  • Authors
    February 9, 2022
    Energy markets have experienced significant disruptions since the outbreak of COVID-19. In late 2021, soaring natural gas prices triggered a new crisis, leading to risks of energy supply shortages worldwide and propelling the issue of energy security to the forefront. Africa will not be spared the repercussions of this crisis, which could further increase energy inequality, which is in turn linked to other forms of inequality. Indeed, in a context of persistent inflation, the lack o ...
  • Authors
    Morten Seja*
    Charlie Knight
    Hadley Hilgenhurst
    Amlan Banerjee
    Omair Azam
    January 31, 2022
    Setting the Scene for the Current State of Inclusive Green Finance Climate change is one of, if not the biggest, challenges facing the world. The challenge extends to banking regulators, who, in addition to other responsibilities, are now tasked with ensuring financial inclusion and climate change mitigation. However, central banks realizing how important inclusion and climate change are is only the first step. As part of this process, they need to understand how to define Inclusiv ...
  • Authors
    Morten Seja
    Hadley Hilgenhurst
    Charlie Knight
    January 25, 2022
    Why Green Finance Taxonomies? The increasing effort to mitigate climate change has caused more and more individuals, governments, and companies to shift away from traditional financial investments and activities, and towards more environmentally-friendly alternatives. However, until recently, there has been a lack of consensus on what green finance and its environmental impact is. Thus, green finance taxonomies are needed to provide classification systems that identify how environm ...
  • Authors
    January 13, 2022
    “This opinion was prepared within the framework of the Jean Monnet Atlantic Network 2.0. The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.”   As part of the lengthy fight against climate change, the European Union (EU) has introduced a Border Carbon A ...
  • December 31, 2021
    In 2021 we’ve had the opportunity to host more than 50 experts in 60 episodes. We discussed economic, international relations, commodities, energy, gender, and security issues affecting t ...
  • Authors
    December 24, 2021
    En dépit de toutes les critiques contre les énergies fossiles au niveau international, plusieurs projets pétroliers et gaziers continuent à être lancés et à progresser en vue de prochaines mises en production. L’Afrique ne fait pas exception à la règle, bien au contraire. Des projets pétroliers importants sont ainsi en cours de développement dans plusieurs pays du continent et, pour au moins trois d’entre eux, le compte à rebours est bien engagé. Nous évoquerons dans cette Opinion l ...
  • Authors
    December 21, 2021
    Simon Kofe, the Foreign Minister in charge of Communication and Justice of Tuvalu, a 25.9 square miles’ nation located in the South Pacific, was standing at the podium in suit and tie. But when he rolled up his trouser, he was barefoot, feeling white sand under his feet, the warm, sparkling clear water up to his knees. A PR stunt filmed at the far end of Fongafate, the primary islet of the capital Funafuti. Tuvalu’s population is about 11 000 inhabitants, and it is one of the world ...
  • Authors
    Morten Seja
    December 20, 2021
    A Case for Regulators to Green Financial Inclusion Financial Inclusion is an Excellent Tool for Combating Poverty It is well known that supporting financial inclusion is a relevant tool in lifting people out of poverty. There is plenty of empirical evidence showing that financial inclusion significantly reduces poverty and income inequality in developing countries. Concerted efforts to support financial inclusion globally have existed since the United Nations Capital Development ...
  • Authors
    December 10, 2021
     Accelerating the transition toward low or net-zero carbon emissions is necessary to keep global warming at theoretically safe levels. That will likely bring price shocks associated with rising metal prices, energy costs, and carbon taxes – what has been called “greenflation”. Greening the economy will also require public spending and redistributive policies. ...