Four reasons Botswana needs to prioritise energy transition

As a signatory to the Paris Agreement, however, these seemingly commendable efforts appear to be contrary to the country’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gases, as the use of coal for energy production is said to be the single biggest contributor to anthropogenic climate change in the world. A lack of adequate finance to transition to renewables is the biggest reason why Botswana finds itself in an uncomfortable position, wherein it is trying to juggle development with climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Participants of the just-ended Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD) and Berlin Energy Week are of the view that a lack of finance is no longer a valid excuse as renewable energy technologies have become cheaper, making the continued pursuit of fossil fuels like coal senseless.