As the leaders from the Group of Seven, or G-7 industrialized countries meet in Germany for the G-7 Summit, France’s foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, is calling on the group to up their respective investments in Africa’s renewable energy projects. The impetus behind Fabius’ call for more investment into renewable energy for the continent is to offset its growing impact on global carbon emissions.
France will focus on Africa’s economic development being tied to more carbon being emitted around the continent when it plays host to the UN Climate Change Conference in December.
Fabius told reporters that G-7 leaders need to “support a grand investment plan for renewable energy in Africa,” as well as better access to electricity. Without such a plan, developed countries will be hard-pressed to persuade African countries to forgo cheaper fossil fuels.
“We see the question of financing is going to be decisive,” the French foreign minister said.