On Tuesday, the ninth annual global conference on energy efficiency started in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, with a call for sustainable energy resource consumption to curb the emission of planet-warming gases, including carbon and methane.
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Convened by the International Energy Agency (IEA), Kenya's Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, the event will be attended by ministers, industry executives, heads of regional blocs and multilateral agencies, researchers and green campaigners, according to organizers.
It was the first time that the global energy efficiency conference was held in Africa.
Davis Chirchir, Kenya's cabinet secretary for energy and petroleum, said the two-day conference will raise the bar in efforts to promote energy efficiency and revitalize action on the climate crisis.
"Our commitment to energy efficiency and conservation is central to realizing a sustainable future," he said. "We must, therefore, enact enabling policies and regulations to promote sustainable energy use in the industries and households."
The meeting is expected to chart a new beginning in the global quest to achieve energy efficiency in line with the outcome adopted at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, last December, Chirchir said.
The participation of delegates from more than 20 African countries reaffirms the continent's attempts to embed energy efficiency in climate action, poverty eradication and livelihood transformation, he said.
Amani Abou-Zeid, the African Union commissioner for infrastructure and energy, said energy efficiency is a vital tool for addressing climate change, air pollution and respiratory diseases.
She stressed that energy efficiency should be at the heart of achieving shared aspirations of peace, sustainable development, climate resilience and prosperity in Africa.
Abou-Zeid also called for the harmonization of policies and legislation to promote energy efficiency across critical sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, transport, buildings and home appliances.
Kadri Simson, the European Union commissioner for energy, said the conference should explore high-impact interventions, including fiscal incentives, to boost energy efficiency and global access.
She underscored the critical role of private sector investments, enactment of laws and public education in promoting energy efficiency to avert the worst impacts of global warming.