- The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative has announced that two Malawian cities have become the first in Africa to endorse the Treaty.
- About 10 per cent of the country’s total energy consumption comes from oil, 3 per cent from hydro, and 1 per cent from coal.
The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative has announced that two Malawian cities, Lilongwe and Mzuzu, had become the first in Africa to endorse the Treaty.
The Treaty aims to ensure that a proposed legal mechanism makes it harder for new fossil fuel projects to be launched. It also calls for the phaseout of existing production as the world races to keep global temperature rise within 1.5°C.
According to 2023 government statistics, 63MW of Malawi’s 501MW operational grid capacity comes from carbon-emitting diesel plants. About 10 per cent of the country’s total energy consumption comes from oil, 3 per cent from hydro, and 1 per cent from coal.
However, the country has no significant crude oil reserves or natural gas. Far too much sun is shining, wind blowing and water flowing through the continent to enable the deepening of fossil fuel extraction, which has failed to power the continent or enrich the people.
“Also, Lilongwe and Mzuzu’s call for a Fossil Fuel Treaty is one that should be echoed across Africa for a people-centred just transition to renewable energy,” said Seble Samuel, Head of Africa Campaigns and Advocacy for the initiative. So far, the treaty proposal has been endorsed by 13 countries.
Proponents of a treaty ending fossil fuel drilling are lobbying African countries to support the agreement, which would essentially stop the continent from exploring its newly discovered resources. The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative was first moved by Vanuatu and Tuvalu Pacific countries at the Conference of Parties (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in 2022.