AfDB will host and participate in a number of events across COP29. (Image source: AfDB)

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is aiming to mobilise additional resources for climate action in Africa and launch a new approach to assessing African economies at COP29

The 29th edition of the United National Climate Change Conference has begun in Baku, Azerbaijan, as decision makers from across the globe gather to take on the ever-growing climate challenge. Dubbed the ‘finance COP’ the 2024 iteration will see countries negotiate fresh climate finance targets with trillions of dollars required for countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect citizens from the worsening impacts of climate change.

It is into this arena that the AfDB delegation is stepping into with the organisation outlining its agenda for the conference in a statement. In this, AfDB made note of the massive potential to drive clean energy access that the continent holds; an ironic fact against the <3% of global climate finance that is currently deployed to sub-Saharan Africa. This deficit hinders efforts to advance National Adaption Plans and Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.

“There is no reason why Africa should be greenly poor,” remarked AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina. “Africa should be greenly wealthy by proper valuation of its vast contributions to global environmental services.”

To achieve this wealth, the president is advocating for recalibrating the GDP of African countries to reflect natural assets like forests and carbon sinks, a move that would reveal a significantly higher GDP and thus paint a better reflection of the continent’s environmental contributions. The conference will therefore serve as a platform for the introduction of ‘Measuring the Green Wealth of Africa’ initiative to redefine African economies.

Preliminary estimates from AfDB suggest that adjusting for carbon sequestration alone could boost Africa’s nominal GDP by US$66.1bn in 2022 with six Congo Basin countries accounting for nearly 64% of this. The significance of this initiative – which has received strong backing from participating countries such as Republic of Congo and Kenya – was explained by Adesina who noted, “That means that the countries can have larger headroom to take on more financing and invest them for the greening of their economies. Therefore, such a move is important for re-computing Africa's debt sustainability.”

AfDB utilising the COP29 platform to focus on climate finance should come as little surprise given the growing awareness that flows to Africa are falling well short. This point was recently reiterated by a new report by Climate Policy Initiative which exposed the 'grave financing gap' that continues to threaten Africa's long-term sustainable development trajectory. Discover more about this research by clicking here

Climate neutrality is one of the key topics of bauma 2025. (Image source: Messe München GmbH)

bauma, one of the world’s leading construction and mining machinery trade fairs that is run on a three-ear cycle, is returning 7-13 April 2025 at the Trade Fair Center Messe München, Germany

This year, the event is looking to answer how construction processes be as climate-neutral as possible in the future, a pertinent topic in the modern age as the world strives to reach net zero goals.

A statement from bauma has outlined some of the key areas progress can be made, and where the event in Germany will focus on:

• Process automation: “As the international construction machinery industry has already been vigorously driving forward this development for decades, for example, through increasingly economical components, much has already been achieved in this regard,” said Joachim Schmid, managing director in the construction machinery and building material plants division at the German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA).

• Digitalisation: At bauma, opportunities around digitalisation and automation will be clear with digital solutions enabling better planning of machines. Developing more sophisticated machine-to-machine communication can ensure more efficient production chains, while smart sensors can monitor machine status. These are but some of the advantages being realised which bring tangible benefits such as avoiding idle times and increasing energy consumption.

• Alternative drive concepts: In addition to the use of electric motors, many companies are focusing on developing and testing hydrogen-power construction machinery. Such concepts – in addition to alternative fuels like HVO – have great potential for reducing greenhouse gases. “Because alternative drive concepts are currently so relevant for manufacturers and users, we are dedicating a separate key topic to this technology segment at bauma 2025,” surmised Nicole Schmitt, bauma exhibition director.

• Continuing the conversation: According to the bauma organisers, to make sure a transformation to climate-neutral construction succeeds, then discussions between industry stakeholders need to be maintained. At bauma, machine manufacturers, construction companies, politicians, researchers, and everything in-between will be represented and encourage to partake in the dialogue and drive the industry forward.

Click here to visit the website to learn more.

Visitors will have the opportunity to discover new technology and solutions entering the mining market. (Image source: The Mining Show)

The Mining Show Dubai is returning for its 16th edition from the 26-27 November at the Festival Arena, Dubai, to offer visitors the opportunity to capitalise on the development and change in mining across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region

More than 3,000 attendees, 150 speakers, and 500+ VIPS will gather to take part in the leading mining and quarrying event in the region.

With the mining industry undergoing a period of transition – driven by forward-thinking engineers and new initiatives – the Mining Show acts as a meeting point for leading and diverse stakeholders in the mining ecosystem to gather. Here, visitors will be able to network with the full spectrum of the sector, from mining and quarrying companies, government bodies, financiers, distributors, tech innovators and beyond. The 2024 edition will seek to continue the proud history of the event which has established it as a premium event on the calendar, enabling attendees to capitalise on developments and get business done.

As ever, the core of this year’s Mining Show will be the multi-brand exhibition. With multiple country pavilions, more than 200 sponsors and exhibitors have signed up to the conference and will be ready to demonstrate their cutting-edge solutions and explore future collaborative opportunities. Orica, RPM Global, Haver & Boecker, Mincon, Manitou, Terravox, and Darda are but a few of the exciting exhibitors that are preparing to participate this year.

Previous attendees of the event will be sure to note a new addition to this year’s event in the form of the Outdoor Heavy Machinery Showcase. This will offer a specialised space to provide a platform for the latest advancements in heavy machinery technology from towering mining vehicles to precision drill rigs (and everything in between).

A packed agenda

When not traversing the extensive exhibition areas, visitors will also have the opportunity to learn from the brightest and most innovative minds in the industry in the accompanying conference. Across the two days, more than 150 industry leaders will participate in over 40 sessions (comprising everything from panel discussions to keynotes), striving to bring the mining industry into the modern day and prepare it for the future.

Various content themes will colour the proceedings, with key topics including: Digital Transformation & Technology; Alternatives in Exploration; Innovation in Finance; Sustainability & ESG; Quarrying; Smart Operational Excellence; Waste Management; Rethinking Supply Chains; Lifecycle Management & Operations; Workplace Culture & Safety Systems.

Organisers have also been keen to note the efforts put into enhancing networking opportunities and buyer engagement this year. To encourage the fluid exchange of ideas and proliferate the frequency of valuable meetings, The Mining Show network app is freely available. This will provide users access to all registered attendees and offer useful actions such as the ability to schedule virtual meetings year-round. Beyond this, there numerous opportunities to form business relationships beyond the exhibitor floor, with an evening networking party, a networking lounge and hosted VIP meetings all available.

The Mining Show will explore the latest trends shaping the future of the industry including exploration equipment & services, heavy equipment & machinery, automation & digitisation, sustainability and so much more. Learn more at: https://www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/mining-show

AOW is aimed at uniting industry leaders to develop policy, share discoveries, secure investment and shape Africa’s energy future. (Image source: AOW)

At AOW: Investing in African Energy held in Cape Town form 7-10 October, a dedicated panel discussion considered how the continent can secure its future in a changing landscape

Specifically, the session was dedicated to the role of gas, with the pipeline of associated projects in the continent never being stronger. However, if Africa is to be competitive in a dynamic international gas market, it must ensure that it offers value. This means shaping an offer that meets the financial and environmental sustainability of stakeholders; gas investment propositions must be relevant and future-proof or global capital will not be forthcoming.

“Natural gas is at the centre of what we are doing in Africa,” commented Mario Bello, head of sub-Saharan Africa region at Eni. “It’s the cleanest fossil fuel, producing fewer emissions than coal, so it plays an important role as we transition to renewables… Floating LNG is the key to unlocking the region’s gas potential, making it easier and faster to develop offshore resources.”

A stable investment environment

Meanwhile, Paul Eardley-Taylor, head of oil & gas, southern Africa at Standard Bank, considered the financing challenge that remains a significant hurdle for projects. He emphasised the need for bankable projects that address investor concerns, particularly around sovereign risk. He also drew attention to the transformative potential of large-scale LNG projects and smaller, domestically-focused gas ventures, labelling the impact they could have in African markets “incalculable”.

Stressing the importance of a stable investment climate to attract international capital, Equinor’s senior vice president for Africa, Nina Birgitte Koch, said, “CO2 is the key criteria. It’s not just a ‘nice to have’ any more. I don’t think it’s possible to get capital to a big LNG project unless it’s highly competitive when it comes to CO2."

Tshepo Mokoka, Group COO of South Africa’s Central Energy Fund (CEF), raised the call for government intervention to address market failures and unlock investment. He outlined CEF's role in enabling critical gas infrastructure projects, such as the Romp pipeline and LNG import terminals. “We need to solve the market failure,” Mokoka surmised, highlighting the need for government-backed gas offtake agreements and risk-sharing mechanisms to attract private capital.

ExxonMobil’s executive director global, LNG marketing, Deri Irawan, emphasised the importance of a holistic approach to project development, considering not just the technical and economic aspects but also the social and political landscape. He commented on the need for strong partnerships and stakeholder engagement to ensure long-term project success. “It is insufficient to just bring a commodity to the doorstep. You also need to unlock that value chain.”

Gianluca Ciricugno, Africa director, enterprise customer solution at Baker Hughes, took the opportunity to stress the need for a long-term vision and collaboration between governments, investors, and technology providers. He urged, “It requires a broader vision, probably government and all the people around the table, with a long-term approach… and not just four-year terms.”