As the G8 meets this week in l’Aquila, Italy, a group of experts from the African Progress Panel is asking the G8 to promote green technologies to protect the environment while stimulating economic growth. The panel includes former Secretary General of the UN Kofi Annan and the international advocate for women’s and children’s rights Graca Machel.
Voice of America interviewed the African Progress Panel director Michael Keating on the upcoming meeting and ways that the G8 could focus on green technologies that might potentially benefit Africa. He noted that Kenya had a major wind project underway set to generate 25% of the country’s energy. Keating said if successful, it could be used to “generate income and energy in a way that will make a positive difference to the country’s ability to grow.”
The director also mentioned how Africa has the potential to produce a great deal of hydropower with large rivers throughout the continent. “There is a lot of money being available for Africa and we hope some of it goes into supporting projects that generate more renewable energy, not just solar but all these other forms of power,” he said.
Keating said the panel members are seeking a resolution that is backed up by “real money.” He continued, “It is easy to come out of the meetings waving bits of paper about promises; it is a different matter substantiating those with concrete plans for generating the resources.”