Energy and environment in Africa - the twin challenge of climate change mitigation and sustainable development

Climate change has emerged as the most critical challenge to sustained global economic growth, social well-being, quality of life, and political stability in the 21st century. In the last two years, two landmark reports – the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2007 report, and the Stern Review – have provided highly persuasive empirical evidence, analytical explanations of observed trends, and simulation model projections drawing stronger cause-and-effect linkages between human socio-economic activities and greenhouse gases (GHGs), and between the latter and climate change.