Mozambique’s economy and finance minister, Max Tonela, last week in Washington advocated a “just energy transition” for poor countries exposed to climate change, through combined investments in their fossil fuels and renewables.
“We need a just energy transition, which will allow countries like Mozambique to exploit the energy resources they have to ensure universal access to energy,” Tonela said, cited in a statement released by the Mozambican government.
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He was speaking in the US capital, on a panel of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, as part of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB).
Noting that Mozambique lives the paradox of being one of the most punished by climate change, but being among the least polluting, Max Tonela stressed that the country has huge reserves of natural gas that can make it an “important actor” in the supply chain, on a global scale, and in the energy transition to clean sources.
“We need the support of international financial institutions not only to finance climate adaptation, but also for natural gas exploration projects and diversification of energy sources, through an increased use of renewable energy,” he stressed.
The world, he continued, will still need fossil fuels, mainly natural gas, because alternative sources are still “intermittent” and are far from guaranteeing a firm supply.
Tonela noted that Mozambique is paying a heavy price for the impact of climate change, through the devastation of economic and social infrastructure, as well as the loss of human lives.
Cyclically, he continued, the country is affected by floods and cyclones.
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In this sense, the country is committed to the decarbonisation of the planet, making available to Southern Africa and the world energy sources considered less polluting, as is the case of natural gas.
Still ton Wednesday, the Mozambican minister presented to the IMF and WB the package of measures for the recovery of the economy recently approved by the Maputo executive.
