Successes for Namibia during climate summit in Dubai

Namibia has seized the opportunity to conclude several agreements during this year's climate summit (COP28) in Dubai in December 2023.

The Danish container shipping giant Maersk has initiated a study to develop green transport corridors on oceans. Namibia is included as a southern coastal country.
The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, the US Department of State, the US Department of Energy and the Danish government have joined forces to conduct pre-feasibility studies for green shipping corridors in five countries.
Namibia signed an agreement with Maersk at the climate summit in Dubai, COP28.
Pre-feasibility studies will be carried out in Namibia, Panama and Fiji. Two additional countries will be announced soon.
Green corridors are maritime routes that use low and zero-emission lifecycle fuels and technologies with the aim of zero-emissions, including fuel for ships.

In this context, President Hage Geingob christened the first ocean-going ship that uses green ammonia as fuel in the port of Dubai on 06 December 2023.
The ship was named “Fortescue Green Pioneer” and is owned by the Australian company Fortescue Future Energies (FFE). The company bought the ship some time ago and had it converted.
Green ammonia, a carbon-free alternative to fossil fuels, is expected to play a critical role in decarbonization to combat climate change.

Pledges to save our planet

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced at the climate summit that 118 countries will triple the share of renewable energy by 2030, including the USA. The EU will support this new initiative with 2.3 billion euros, said von der Leyen. Namibia is part of the 118 states that have made this commitment.
Namibia has also joined a group of Commonwealth countries seeking to reduce methane gas emissions to keep rising global temperatures within tolerable limits.
The new coalition for the “Global Methane Pledge” was announced on the sidelines of the climate conference in Dubai.

Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, responsible for over a third of the current global temperature increase.
In order to keep the Paris Climate Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach, a reduction of methane gas by 45 percent by 2030 is necessary.
The Action Group will be made up of Commonwealth countries and partners committed to sharing knowledge, expertise, technology and policy solutions to reduce methane emissions.
The Commonwealth Secretariat will support countries such as Belize, Ghana, Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda in tackling methane emissions from the oil and gas sector.
Namibia's Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo said: “Namibia is a net carbon sink and has ambitious low-carbon development strategies in place to remain so. Our goal is to become a world-class green hydrogen hub and develop our petroleum resources with the lowest possible emissions.”
“We do not tolerate gas flaring and venting (during oil production) and the same applies to methane emissions,” Alweendo said.
A methane action plan will be developed with the support of the Commonwealth.

The Namibian company Kelp Blue has received a sustainability award during Cop 28 (see the story here).

Namibia has also signed an agreement to host the inaugural „Global African Hydrogen Summit“next year from 3 to 5 September.

Brigitte Weidlich