Africa steering towards ‘green growth’ for economic development
Africa played its part at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro last week, with the African Development Bank (AfDB) hosting a talk on the green economy as a key element to enabling economic growth in the continent.
‘Green growth’ is the strategy to be followed to encourage sustainable and durable development in Africa, according to the AfDB. Not only does it foster job creation and back economic growth in general, it also drives for reduced emissions, efficiency in the use of natural resources and protection of the ecosystem.
Such an approach is considered to be particularly effective to lead African growth because it would help tackle exactly those issues recognised as the greatest challenges to Africa’s development, according to AfDB’s chief climate change specialist Frank Sperling.
In addition, the AfDB underlined that this is the right moment to invest in the green economy in Africa, saying that the continent can now afford – and actually now needs – to create adequate infrastructure to support it.
Aly Abou-Sabaa, chair of the AfDB’s climate change co-ordination committee, ensured the commitment of the bank to steer Africa’s economic growth towards a sustainable direction.
“The AfDB is an important resource in undertaking such initiatives,” he said. “It is designed to serve as a catalyst in terms of ideas and practical concepts, technical assistance and financial support for its regional member countries.”
He also echoed the general agreement that concrete African solutions aimed specifically at Africa are needed.
