Schneider Electric Accelerates Transition To Low Carbon Economy In One Planet Summit In Nairobi

Almost 4 years after the adoption of the Paris Agreement, President of France Emmanuel Macron is organizing the first regional edition of the One Planet Summit on March 14 (9am to 6pm) that will highlight the unique role of Africa as a global partner, as the continent is responsible for only 4% of global greenhouse-gas emissions, but 65% of the African population is considered to be directly impacted by climate change.

Co-chaired by Presidents Macron and Kenyatta, this High-Level Session will gather Heads of State and Ministers heading national delegation to UNEA as well as representatives of the finance and the business sectors, local governments, civil society, and youth. The session will tackle two main issues: promoting renewable energy and fostering resilience, adaptation and biodiversity.

Gilles Vermot Desroches, Chief Sustainability Officer, Schneider Electric notes: “The creation of economic opportunities, jobs and innovation are central to the concerns of the One Planet coalition. To bring about this paradigm shift, we can re- affirm our responsibility in the face of climate change and taking measures to account for climate, social and environmental risks in their business including the most vulnerable population”

To mark the occasion of the One Planet Summit, Schneider Electric is accelerating its ambition and commitments for climate by helping its customer to avoid 100 M tons of CO2 emissions thanks to cleantech solutions.

According to a recent study led by Schneider Electric in partnership with GreenBiz, companies with public energy and/or sustainability goals see advantages.

According to it, more than 50% of companies that have set public goals are more likely to adopt innovative solutions, are more successful in securing project funds, and are more likely to have greater results.

Democratizing technology to unleash the potential of job creation

Providing electricity using renewables to provide electricity to the 1 billion people worldwide without energy access has the potential to create millions of good jobs, however despite increasing demand, a shortage of the skilled workforce needed to deliver electricity access is large and growing.

Read: National Bank, Impact Water Partnership To Benefit 12,000 Schools With Safe Drinking Water

In fact, it is projected that by 2030 there will still be 674 million people without access to energy. It is for this reason that the United Nations Development Program has established Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) as a key initiative for ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030.

Schneider Electric advocates that the goal can be attained if the right combination of technologies, modernized regulatory and financial business models, and local training is implemented.

For One Planet Summit, the company is presenting a document about How New Regulatory, Financial and Technology Bold Ideas Can Grow Microgrid-driven Access to Energy.

According to the findings of this document, Energy is a basis of economic development and opens up new doors that facilitate access to healthcare, agriculture and better overall living conditions.

From a business perspective, increased standards of living are economic drivers that facilitate the conversion of economically disadvantaged populations into large pools of new customers and consumers.

Schneider Electric’ evolution since the last One Planet Summit in Paris

10 commitments from COP21

Schneider Electric representatives along with ASO, the organizer of Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris are going to promote visits to the Embu East District of Kenya, where the company will invest in the Livelihoods Funds to offset the emissions and achieve 100% carbon neutrality.

Livelihoods Fund will partner with Climate Pal to expand their Hifadhi project. The Hifadhi project distributes cookstoves and tree seedlings.

Every day, women and children collect 20kg of wood to cook, this has reduced the forest in Kenya by almost 10 times in the last 50 years and causes death of women because of smoke from cooking.

Technology that makes daily tasks more efficient and cleaner for the environment drives change, too. Solar-powered cookstoves and water pumps, for example, help to mitigate laborious and time-consuming domestic tasks, allowing girls and women to pursue educational and/or economic opportunities.