5 June 2015: The Africa Progress Panel (APP) has released its Africa Progress Report 2015, titled ‘Power, People, Planet: Seizing Africa’s Energy and Climate Opportunities,’ which calls on Africa’s leaders to start an energy revolution that delivers energy access for all, and meets the demands of consumers, businesses and investors for affordable and reliable electricity.

Kofi Annan, Chair of the APP, stated that “We categorically reject the idea that Africa has to choose between growth and low-carbon development,” adding that “Africa needs to utilize all of its energy assets in the short term, while building the foundations for a competitive, low-carbon energy infrastructure.”

The report highlights the need for African governments, investors and international financial institutions to significantly scale up investment in energy, and stresses that power generation needs to increase ten-fold by 2030 if all Africans are to have access to electricity.

The report further urges African governments to: use the region’s natural gas to provide domestic energy as well as exports; and cut corruption and make utility governance more transparent. It also calls for fossil fuel subsidy reform, calling on Africa’s leaders to redirect the US$21 billion currently spent on energy subsidies towards energy infrastructure, access to electricity and social protection. It notes that according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the costs of achieving universal energy access for Sub-Saharan Africa are around US$20 billion per year.

Noting that the Paris Climate Change Conference in December 2015 represents an opportunity for African governments to demonstrate climate leadership, the report urges African governments and their international partners to raise their ambitions for the conference and ensure an outcome that both combats climate change and benefits development.

The Africa Progress Report is the flagship publication of the APP, which was established to facilitate coalition building to leverage and broker knowledge, and convene decision makers to influence policy and create change for Africa. The Panel is composed of ten individuals from the private and public sector advocating for equitable and sustainable development for Africa. [Publication: Africa Progress Report 2015 – Power, People, Planet: Seizing Africa’s Energy and Climate Opportunities] [Africa Progress Panel Press Release]