DON'T LET AFRICA BURN!

The document opposes the push for new gas infrastructure in Africa, which it describes as a short-term solution for European energy security that risks irreversible climate disaster. It highlights the disproportionate impact of climate change on Africa, the environmental damage caused by gas extraction in Nigeria and Mozambique, and the inadequacy of 'net zero' pledges. The authors call for an immediate end to fossil fuel financing and the implementation of a 100% renewable energy goal for Africa by 2050, funded by climate debt repayments from the Global North.

• European countries, specifically Germany and Italy, are encouraging African governments to develop new oil and gas infrastructure to replace supplies lost following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which the authors claim serves European economic interests while leaving Africa vulnerable to climate disaster.
• Africa is the most vulnerable continent to climate change despite contributing only 3.3% of global emissions over the last 62 years, with its warming occurring faster than other continents.
• Gas is not a clean or sustainable transition fuel because it releases methane, which is significantly more potent than CO2 at trapping heat—34 times stronger over a 100-year period and 86 times stronger over 20 years.
• Gas exploitation in Nigeria and Mozambique has led to severe environmental and social harm, including massive CO2 releases from flaring in the Niger Delta and the loss of land and ocean access for communities in Cabo Delgado.
• The authors criticize 'net zero' and 'nature-based solutions' as greenwashing tactics that allow corporations to avoid reducing emissions at the source and may lead to land-grabbing and monoculture plantations in the Global South.
• The document opposes the African Union's technical paper on the African Common Position, which suggests fossil fuels and natural gas should play a crucial role in expanding energy access.
• A transition to 100% renewable energy in Africa by 2050 is deemed feasible and would better address energy poverty than gas pipelines, provided the Global North pays its climate debt, including a demanded $2 trillion annually for loss and damage.

APA

Obayanju, B., Mariere, U.-J. M., Bhatnagar, D., Race, M., Yesutanbul, A., Jacklin, A., Lemos, A., & Masson, L. (2022). DON'T LET AFRICA BURN! Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dont-let-Africa-burn_Friends-of-the-Earth-Africa_2022.pdf

Chicago

Obayanju, Babawale, Ubrei-Joe Maimoni Mariere, Dipti Bhatnagar, Madaleine Race, Amos Yesutanbul, Avena Jacklin, Anabela Lemos, and Lise Masson. DON'T LET AFRICA BURN! Friends of the Earth International, 2022. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dont-let-Africa-burn_Friends-of-the-Earth-Africa_2022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Obayanju |first1=Babawale |last2=Mariere |first2=Ubrei-Joe Maimoni |last3=Bhatnagar |first3=Dipti |last4=Race |first4=Madaleine |last5=Yesutanbul |first5=Amos |last6=Jacklin |first6=Avena |last7=Lemos |first7=Anabela |last8=Masson |first8=Lise |title=DON'T LET AFRICA BURN! |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=October 2022 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dont-let-Africa-burn_Friends-of-the-Earth-Africa_2022.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{obayanju2022dont, author = {Obayanju, Babawale and Mariere, Ubrei-Joe Maimoni and Bhatnagar, Dipti and Race, Madaleine and Yesutanbul, Amos and Jacklin, Avena and Lemos, Anabela and Masson, Lise}, title = {{DON'T LET AFRICA BURN!}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2022}, month = oct, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dont-let-Africa-burn_Friends-of-the-Earth-Africa_2022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }