Women Mayors from Africa demand sustainable energy power
With the clock ticking on the United Nations led Climate Change conference scheduled to be held in Paris this November, a delegation of African women mayors plan on attending it and making their voice heard so as ensure that electrification is in the basket of issues that need thrashing out.
These women mayors representing big and small towns, are calling to focus greater attention on communities who don’t even have the bare necessities of electrification. Given the link between energy and climate change, it is important that their voice be heard.
“In my commune, only one-fifth of the people have access to electricity, and this of course hampers development,” said Marie Pascale Mbock Mioumnde, the Mayor of Nguibassal in Cameroon. She continue saying, “As mayors we’re closer to the population, and when we work together, there’s hope.”
These 18 women were hosted, to visit Paris for a meeting last month, by France’s former Environmental Minister Jean-Louis Borloo and Paris’ Mayor Anne Hildalgo. Interestingly, jean-Louis Borloo, heads the ‘Fondation Énergies pour l’Afrique’.
Last month’s meeting was scheduled in order to highlight Africa’s energy deficits in the run-up to COP 21, scheduled to be held on 30th November to 11th December.
In an interview, Mbock Mioumnde was very clear that renewable, green energy is a major priority for Africa and all technological options, such as hydropower, solar, wind were being considered.
“We plan to maintain this contact [with France] and this network of women mayors to see what we can accomplish,” explained Mbock Mioumnde. “As mayors we’re closer to the population, and when we work together, there’s hope.”
Considering that two-thirds of Africans don’t have access to electricity, and because of the African representatives’ appeal for “sustainable electrification”, Hildalgo felt the need to support the women Mayors. Being the current president of the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF), she felt it was most necessary that the sustainable electrification of Africa be sped up.
After the meeting it was clear that an “African agency devoted to this issue” be created, whose sole responsibility would be the implementation of electrification of Africa by 2025.
The meeting was attended by several representatives of France’s big energy companies, as well as NGOs who have had past experience at solar installations in Africa.
“The Climate Change Conference is a decisive summit for the planet’s leaders and decision-makers to reach an agreement,” stressed Hidalgo.
References:
http://www.ipsnews.net/2015/05/african-women-mayors-join-forces-to-fight-for-clean-energy/
These women mayors representing big and small towns, are calling to focus greater attention on communities who don’t even have the bare necessities of electrification. Given the link between energy and climate change, it is important that their voice be heard.
“In my commune, only one-fifth of the people have access to electricity, and this of course hampers development,” said Marie Pascale Mbock Mioumnde, the Mayor of Nguibassal in Cameroon. She continue saying, “As mayors we’re closer to the population, and when we work together, there’s hope.”
These 18 women were hosted, to visit Paris for a meeting last month, by France’s former Environmental Minister Jean-Louis Borloo and Paris’ Mayor Anne Hildalgo. Interestingly, jean-Louis Borloo, heads the ‘Fondation Énergies pour l’Afrique’.
Last month’s meeting was scheduled in order to highlight Africa’s energy deficits in the run-up to COP 21, scheduled to be held on 30th November to 11th December.
In an interview, Mbock Mioumnde was very clear that renewable, green energy is a major priority for Africa and all technological options, such as hydropower, solar, wind were being considered.
“We plan to maintain this contact [with France] and this network of women mayors to see what we can accomplish,” explained Mbock Mioumnde. “As mayors we’re closer to the population, and when we work together, there’s hope.”
Considering that two-thirds of Africans don’t have access to electricity, and because of the African representatives’ appeal for “sustainable electrification”, Hildalgo felt the need to support the women Mayors. Being the current president of the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF), she felt it was most necessary that the sustainable electrification of Africa be sped up.
After the meeting it was clear that an “African agency devoted to this issue” be created, whose sole responsibility would be the implementation of electrification of Africa by 2025.
The meeting was attended by several representatives of France’s big energy companies, as well as NGOs who have had past experience at solar installations in Africa.
“The Climate Change Conference is a decisive summit for the planet’s leaders and decision-makers to reach an agreement,” stressed Hidalgo.
References:
http://www.ipsnews.net/2015/05/african-women-mayors-join-forces-to-fight-for-clean-energy/
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