In 2 months, a significant climate event will take place in Glasgow, UK. COP 26, the UN’s 26th Climate Change Conference of the Parties, will be commemorated under the ambitious pretext of "uniting the world to tackle climate change.” The event rallies leaders, policymakers, environmental influencers, and volunteers from all continents, striving to establish meaningful collaborations to advance climate strategies.

Back in 2015, The 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) was deemed the most influential since they began having the annual event in 1992, as 185 countries had submitted measures to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The Paris Agreement, which has since become unanimous with climate action, is the most famous consequence.

A lot has been said and written regarding COP, the Paris Agreement, and the coveted energy transition. Multiple entities have been iterating a new focus that links the energy transition to poverty alleviation in recent weeks. As the two goals intertwine, the term Just Energy Transition has been coined.

A Just Energy Transition

For the global community, transitioning to a more sustainable energy system is a must, and that change requires challenging existing norms and social and economic institutions. A just transition acknowledges that the social, environmental, and economic aspects matter and are a crucial component of the energy transition.

According to a policy brief by GIZ, a German development agency, the ‘decarbonization’ of economies worldwide requires a managed structural transition. Without active guidance, structural change in unregulated market economies is likely to cause and exacerbate inequalities. Thus, the guiding principles must link social and economic equality to environmental preservation and climate action.

Addressing a global issue such as the climate crisis, perhaps the most significant issue ever to be faced by our planet as a whole, requires a fundamental reorganization of the global economy.

Just Transition is broader than energy alone and encompasses mitigation and climate resilience for the entire energy ecosystem. It must include rehabilitating and repurposing the whole economy to operate sustainably for present and future generations.

As part of the global agenda, the first issue is the dire inequality in energy access, hindering actual sustainable development and transitioning.

Inclusive energy access leads to real environmental change.

Today, 759 million people around the world are living without electricity in their homes and communities. More than 600 million of them reside in sub-Saharan Africa, living in a state of energy poverty. A just energy transition is a chance for these developing communities to jumpstart their economies and establish inclusive realities.

Energy has an essential role in human survival, and the lack of access to energy perpetuates poverty and stunts human survival and development. Access to affordable, clean, reliable, and sustainable energy is generally accepted as a fundamental human right and should not depend on economic status.

The UN’s sustainable development goal, SDG 7, defines energy poverty as a lack of access to electricity and clean cooking fuels or technologies. In broader terms, it is the inability to meet one’s energy needs, especially those directly impacting the household. It often causes malnutrition and other health-related issues (especially among women), such as respiratory diseases (due to smoke inhalation while cooking on open fires) and skeletal deformity (due to carrying heavy firewood). Having no light results in limited security, exposing women to the dangers of gender-based violence.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, poverty, and more specifically energy poverty, are widespread. Energy consumption per capita is far lower than the global average. Over 600 million people (out of a population of 1.1 billion) lack access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa, and these numbers are on the rise due to Covid-19 economic effects.

Utilising renewable energy sources is critical in overcoming the region’s developmental and poverty challenges and contributing to global renewable energy commitments.

Many of the region’s cities and countries have sustainable energy targets and strategies, but constrained resources hinder implementation. Establishing new policies requires global support, good governance, and a shift to a decentralized energy system that facilitates and empowers underserved rural communities. With a rural focus, poverty and energy poverty alleviation are put front and center.

With the "uniting the world to tackle climate change” slogan, the UN and all participating COP countries must remember that a truly united world takes care of its weakest links and elevates them. That is the only way to establish a sustainable future from all needed perspectives.

Reducing energy poverty and increasing access to energy is a core component of a just transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy and society.

The writer is an entrepreneur and investor,leading sustainability-driven companies in Africa and the Middle East