A high level dialogue exploring how a policy-enabling environment can be created to successfully leapfrog towards climate friendly, resource-efficient and socially just industrialization for accelerated structural transformation of African economies.

A paradigm shift towards low-carbon, resource-efficient and climate-resilient development pathways using science, technology and innovation is needed to steer growth towards inclusive and sustainable development for all on the continent. This paradigm shift, as elaborated by the Economic Commission for Africa’s 2016 Economic Report on Africa (ERA 2016) and The New Climate Economy’s Africa’s New Climate Economy: Economic Transformation and Social and Environmental Change, is structural transformation based on low-polluting and resource-efficient industrialization – i.e. green industrialization – that adds value to Africa’s raw materials and increase global competitiveness, driven by a knowledge-based and inclusive economy.

But how should this green industrialization be achieved, especially given that there is no blueprints from which to learn as no other region of the world has passed through the early phase of industrialization pursuing a green pathway?

Many pathways to industrialization exist. But Africa as a latecomer, can define and design its own pathway – based on its own realities and learning from history and the experiences of other regions – to leapfrog traditional, carbon-intensive methods of growth and champion a low-carbon development trajectory.

This joint event by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Union Commission (AUC), the New Climate Economy (NCE) and University College London (UCL) will provide a high level dialogue platform, informed by evidence on the ground on the continent, for exploring how a policy-enabling environment can be created to successfully leapfrog towards climate friendly, resource-efficient and socially just industrialization for accelerated structural transformation of African economies.

Panelists, Speakers and Discussants

Chair: Dr. Abdalla Hamdok, Executive Secretary (a.i), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

Moderator: TBC

Speakers:

  • Dr.  Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson, African Union Commission
  • Dr. Carlos Lopes, Commissioner, Global Commission on the Economy and Climate
  • Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank (tbc)
  • Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Former Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, Nigeria; Commissioner, Global Commission on the Economy and Climate (tbc)
  • Dr. Frank Rijsberman, Director-General, Global Green Growth Institute  
  • Dr Justin Yifu LinDirector, Center for New Structural Economics, Peking University 

 Discussants:

  • Dr. Mulu Gebreeyesus, Senior Researcher, Ethiopian Development Research Institute 
  • Prof. Yacob Mulugetta, Professor of Energy and Development Policy, University College London 

Launch of the Economic Commission for Africa 2016 – Greening Africa’s Industrialization

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