“Using external revenues to develop low-carbon technologies” Emmanuel SECK, Executive Director of ENDA ENERGIE
Executive Director of ENDA ENERGIE, Emmanuel SECK was in the delegation that represented Senegal at the last Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP28) which took place in Dubai from November 30 to December 13, 2023. As a member of the board of the Climate Action Network International (CAN International), he had to get involved in negotiations on issues of adaptation and climate finance and to support the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Negotiators Group on the issue of loss and damage, among others.
In this interview, the environmental expert analyzes the decisions taken at the end of COP28 and the prospects, particularly for Senegal, at the dawn of the exploitation of its oil and gas.
"You took part in COP28 on climate. How do you assess the agreement that was reached at the end of these negotiations? »
We are very pleased to have participated in this edition of the COP, which can be considered historic in two respects. At the outset, we obtained the establishment of the fund on loss and damage, which I consider to be a major achievement. The other step forward concerns the beginning of the gradual exit from fossil fuels. That is to say, arriving at a transition, an issue that was not sufficiently addressed at the previous COP. This reassures us that countries must engage in a dynamic of reducing these greenhouse gas emissions. We would have liked these to be much stronger commitments. But since we are in a dynamic process, we will increase advocacy in this direction and also contribute to the definition of the various strategies developed in the countries, including the NDCs and the long-term strategies (LTS) for low-carbon and climate-resilient development.
"What will be the criteria for access to the fund intended to repair loss and damage? »
The criteria have not yet been defined, but it should normally benefit the most vulnerable countries. However, it will be necessary to have a good estimate of the costs, identify development needs and priorities, have reliable data and assess the extent of the impacts of climate disasters. For this 28th session, it was mainly a question of enacting the loss and damage fund which will be the third mechanism intended for financing in the process of the climate convention. This after the adaptation fund and the green climate fund. It will be up to the secretariat and particularly the board of directors to define the modalities, procedures and criteria. This will make it possible to better indicate or specify the countries that will be able to benefit from it. What must already be welcomed is the good representation of developing countries in the board of directors. Out of the 26 members, we have 14 from developing countries and among them the African group and the group of least developed countries of which Senegal is a member.
"Concerning the transition away from fossil fuels, what could be the impact for Senegal, which expects a lot from its oil that is currently being exploited?"
For us, the transition is a process that can present opportunities for Senegal. That is, taking a low-carbon path. We can use the gas and oil that we have to be part of this dynamic. That is, using part of the money generated by the exploitation of these mainly fossil natural resources to develop low-carbon technologies. For example, this involves setting up solar power plants in remote areas of the country and also increasing energy services. Why not set up a fund to promote renewable energy with the profits from the exploitation of gas and oil? Regarding energy services, it is about ensuring that in certain value chains such as milk, which is abundantly produced in Senegal, mainly during the rainy season, we can set up milk storage and processing units. This will allow us to transform this milk into yogurt or cheese as ENDA ENERGIE is doing in Kolda, Saint-Louis and the center of the country towards Fatick. I think there are possibilities of using these technologies to supply populations with energy in areas that are not served by the traditional network.
This clean energy will be used in primary needs, health, education and the promotion of value chains. It is up to us to see the best path to take because we are part of a desire for transition, but this must not be an obstacle to our development ambition.
"There are some developing countries and civil society organizations that have deplored a lack of ambition in the Dubai agreement. Is that your opinion? »
We are in environmental diplomacy, there are things that we do not impose on certain developed States. We negotiate to have the best possible compromise. Civil society has made a strong plea for the immediate exit from fossil fuels, but this is not what the States have agreed to.
There are interests that are economically selfish but which are not expressed. We would have liked more and better, but this is what the COP gave us. We will have to make more efforts at the national level. There are signals that show that we must take other development paths because we need alternatives to the depletion of fossil resources. And I think that this is what should be learned from this process which is dynamic and not static. I was saying, at the end of the COP in Copenhagen, that despite the lack of agreement at this conference, public opinion had become more sensitive and aware of the risks that humanity could face in the face of climate change. Now, how is the climate issue on the international political agenda and reflected in our policies and in our daily lives? And it is not just about engaging States because we are all concerned as citizens of the world by the climate issue. Especially our way of being through the production and consumption of energy.
At each stage of the COP, there are indications that show us how we must operate in the world and what trajectory we must take in the future.
"Isn't it time to force polluting countries to take their responsibility?"
There is a difference in responsibilities. Developed countries have a historical responsibility that obliges them to support developing countries to face the effects of climate change. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the main matrix of this entire climate mechanism. And it mentions that developed countries must support vulnerable countries so that they can adapt to climate change. That is why they committed to this COP28 to the tune of more than 700 million dollars when we set up the fund on loss and damage. For our countries, it is to ensure that, in relation to adaptation measures, we can strengthen the resilience of our populations. But also that we are committed, in the years to come, to a path of carbon sobriety. We have oil and gas potential, but also renewable energy. It is to see how to play on the levers of this fossil potential to exploit and strengthen our renewable energy potential. In this context, Senegal aims to increase the share of renewable energy in our energy mix to 40% by 2030.
In addition, as a non-governmental institution, ENDA ENERGIE has been able to support the country in developing a long-term vision. The objective is to have, "in 2050, a prosperous Senegal through an integrated, low-carbon, resilient and inclusive economy". I think this point is fundamental to emphasize because we are calling on national expertise.
We were also involved in the assessment of losses and damages and financing needs. And beforehand, we had to conduct studies on slow-onset events in order to circumscribe the problem of losses and damages. This is because not all losses and damages are linked to climate change. There are lessons learned from this process that strengthen us in the work we are doing and in particular on how to socialize the issue of energy transition, because we are at the crossroads of transitions.
"As an actor, how do you assess Senegal's participation in COP28?"
It is a participation that we welcome on different aspects. First, let us recall that Senegal held the presidency of the group of least developed countries in the person of Ms. Madeleine Diouf Sarr. She was able to raise the level of negotiations quite high during this COP28. This was praised by her peers. There was the President of the Republic and several ministers who took part in the conference. There were speeches that were praised for their commitment. We, as a civil society organization, were present in the negotiations, but also in the knowledge sharing meetings. We presented research results on the assessment of financing needs on losses and damages. And soon, Senegal will be part of a dynamic development of the long-term strategy of low-carbon and resilient development. It could be based on four fundamental pillars: the energy, infrastructure, industrial and agroecological transition.
Source : #africa petromine magazine
