Damilola Ogunbiyi, the special representative of the UN secretary-general for Sustainable Energy for All, emphasized China's pivotal role in supporting the Global South's push for sustainable energy, in a recent interview after the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.
Ogunbiyi noted the evident “disparity” in the progress Asia and Africa are making towards the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 7. She pointed out, “The latest SDG 7 report shows that Asia is making better progress in achieving the goal than Africa. Asia is estimated to have about 69 million people without access to electricity, but in Africa, that number is over 500 million.”
Acknowledging Asia's advancements in the renewable sector, Ogunbiyi stated, “There is a big push for renewable energy in Asia. Countries such as China and India are making concerted efforts to generate hundreds of gigawatts of green energy every year. It makes us really look at Asia as an example of pushing the renewable frontier.”
China's dominance in the renewable energy market stands out. “China dominates the market when it comes to renewable energy. I believe over 50 percent of all solar panels, wind (power) equipment, and inverted lithium batteries are made in China,” Ogunbiyi remarked, suggesting that the nation's manufacturing growth is a key factor.
Emphasizing the importance of access to the right equipment for generating renewable energy, she said, “What we're basically trying to do is borrow expertise from China … and see how we can apply it in other parts of the world.”
Offering advice to other developing nations, Ogunbiyi advised, “First, you have to look at your policy and regulatory framework. You have to make sure your framework is inclusive and allows for manufacturing and development.”
On China's achievements in capacity building and renewable energy, the UN representative said, “We think it's really, really critical and it will really change the landscape for developing countries if you … show them how to do it and how to develop their own renewable manufacturing industry.”
With China's evident cooperation with Africa on green energy projects, Ogunbiyi conveyed optimism about future collaborations. “We are familiar with a lot of large infrastructure projects being done by Chinese companies in Africa, so moving forward to renewable energy development just seems like a natural step.”
Ogunbiyi concluded with an emphasis on the demand for solar energy products, saying, “There will always be a role and a place for Chinese products and Chinese (solar) panels … as we move toward net zero.”
On the agreements signed at the BRI forum, she expressed excitement about the turnout of “so many emerging economies that see China as a strong partner moving forward as they develop their green future”.
