In addition to the successful planting of millions of trees and bushes in parts of Tigray, Ethiopia, and elsewhere in Africa as part of the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), the announcement of another ambitious initiative by several African countries during the United Nations’ summit of climate change in Paris could spearhead the continent to becoming the world’s cleanest in the following decades.

Called the African Renewable Energy Initiative (Arei), the objective of the project is to reduce the region´s reliance on coal and cut emissions by developing a minimum of 10 GW of new renewable energy generation capacity by 2020, and at least 300 GW by 2030. Advancements in small-scale “virtual power stations” of solar, hydro, wind and geothermal energy will ensue progressively according to the detailed plans of each country and with the financial support of the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank, and other financial groups.

The end result of the project will hopefully negate the statistic that predicts that the number of people in Africa without access to electricity will increase from half to more than two-thirds in the next fifteen years. At the very least, the Arei, along with the AFR100, set a reputable example of commitment and unity from various nations to lead a more sustainable future.

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