By NJ Ayuk, Executive Director, African Energy Chamber(http://www.EnergyChamber.org)
The backlash in recent days about the selection of
The decision to have him lead the conference has been described as “a fox watching the henhouse,” asking “arms dealers to lead peace talks,” and “putting the head of a tobacco company in charge of negotiating an anti-smoking treaty.”
And Tzeporah Berman, chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, told
I could go on, but instead, I’d like to describe why I think those views are wrong-headed and why the African Energy Chamber supports Al Jaber’s selection.
Frankly, I’ve seen rhetoric like this before, only it was about the “grave dangers posed by fossil fuels”, the “evils of the oil and gas industry”, and how “Africa’s vulnerable populations must be protected from ongoing oil and gas production” and their role in triggering climate-related disasters.
I realize that the protests we’re seeing in Al Jaber’s case are based on the belief that, like oil and water, the petroleum industry and meaningful climate change prevention simply don’t mix.
But that assumption is false. If we’re going to have a just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, we’ll need both. We’ll need fossil fuels to ensure energy security and drive industrialization in developing nations, even as the world works to pull together the necessary investments, infrastructure, and governance to make a world fueled by renewable energy work.
Al Jaber understands that. He’s witnessed the painful results of divesting from fossil fuels prematurely – just look at the energy crisis in
Yes, Al Jaber is an oil and gas industry leader, and ADNOC has no intention of stopping production in the short term. And they shouldn’t. It will be reckless.
In addition to all of that, Al Jaber is a good man and a friend to
Bringing Renewables to the World
The renewable energy company that Al Jaber leads, Masdar, is a model of the important role the petroleum industry can take in moving the world closer to widespread renewable energy usage. The company was formed with the goal of diversifying the United Arab Emirates’ (
Today, Masdar is active in over 40 countries and invested in projects valued at more than
A few examples of the company’s impact, just in the last few weeks, include:
The company has signed an agreement with
Masdar signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with four Dutch companies to explore strategies for establishing a green hydrogen supply chain from Abu Dhabi to
Masdar signed an MOU and a joint development agreement with Zambian utility,
Also on
ADNOC is demonstrating a solid commitment to protecting the environment, too. Earlier this year, it announced plans to invest UDE15 billion in decarbonization projects by 2030, including clean power, carbon capture and storage, energy efficiency and reduction of routine gas flaring.
Meanwhile, Al Jaber has made it clear where he stands on emissions and climate change: He recognizes the need to get a handle on global emissions.
“We are way off track,” Al Jaber said
Pragmatism is Not Our Enemy
But the reason Al Jaber is perfectly suited to serve as
His stance is based on a reasoned understanding of the repercussions of giving up fossil fuels too quickly.
“Recent events have shown that unplugging the current energy system before we have built a sufficiently robust alternative puts both economic and climate progress at risk — and calls into question whether we can ensure a just transition that is equitable to all,” Al Jaber wrote in an August op-ed.
“What’s needed is a realistic new strategy that is practical, pro-growth, and pro-climate,” he continued. “The strategy needs to appreciate the complexity of energy and industrial systems, and that the scale of the transition required is colossal, requiring greater alignment and collaboration on everything from capital allocation to product design, public policy, and behavioral change. This means examining the demand side of the energy system first.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
But I would add that Africa’s energy industry, and its potential to minimize energy poverty and drive economic growth, have been hindered by non-government organizations (NGOs) exerting immense pressure against investing in our continent’s oil and gas projects.
The
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© African Press Organization, source
