by SAVIOUS KWINIKA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – A WAVE of new lawsuits against the financing of African oil and gas has been denounced as a ploy by Western groups to undermine Africa’s energy poverty, climate justice, jobs and economy recovery.
The lawsuits have been reported in Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and South Sudan.
“No one loves the environment more than we (Africa) do,” stated the African Energy Chamber (AEC).
“We are the greatest environmental lovers and should not take lectures on it (from Europe),” the organisation added.
The lawsuits and the response by the energy chamber to the legal action come as the COVID-19 reversed some gains made in access.
More than 600 million Africans lacked access to electricity before the pandemic, and it appears that this figure is growing.
According to the International Energy Agency, during 2020 some gains in access were reversed, with as many as 30 million people who previously had access to electricity no longer able to afford it.
“Condemning Africans to poverty and misery is wrong,” AEC stated.
“Preventing us (Africans) from using our natural resources for our development while you take even our coal to Europe to power your wealthy lifestyle and keep our children in the dark is sinful. They (Europeans) called it climate action.”
Lawsuits by Friends of the Earth, Chloé Farand and Extinction Rebellion have been denounced as anti-Africa.
“They (Western) have engineered devastating public relations campaigns against Africans while their homes are powered by coal (from Africa),” AEC stated.
– CAJ News