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In an address at the Casablanca Climate Leadership Forum (CCLF) on Friday, President of the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council (CESE) Ahmed Reda Chami highlighted Africa’s significant untapped resources, including renewable energy, forests, and strategic minerals as potent tools in the fight against climate change.
Chami underscored the continent’s resilience in facing climate change challenges despite contributing only 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Emphasizing Africa’s potential, he pointed to renewable energies with Morocco leading the charge, vast forests such as the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest after the Amazon, and strategic minerals like cobalt, lithium, and manganese, crucial for the energy transition.
Addressing climate change-related issues like rising temperatures, sea-level elevation, and forced displacements, Chami outlined the Union of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions of Africa (UCESA) initiative led by the CESE, aimed at addressing these challenges and promoting climate action.
UCESA advocates for effective climate justice in Africa, sustainable development models, and a green movement across the continent.
A study conducted by the Union in 16 African countries revealed that 60% of respondents feel the impact of climate change, with over 60% ready to act to preserve water and prevent deforestation.
Chami stressed the importance of collective engagement from stakeholders, including academia, the private sector, government institutions, and citizens in combating the effects of climate change.
He also highlighted the necessity of integrating climate issues into university curricula to nurture a new generation of leaders who are not only aware of this global threat but are also equipped to address it.
