(ii) Sub-Saharan Africa is home to several of the planet's major rivers, inspiring plans to increase hydro-electricity from 37,000 MW to around 100,000 MW by 2040. But solar, wind and geothermal energy hold greater promise in the future. Africa must not get stuck on old technology. Investment should focus away from traditional government-led mega-projects to tech-fuelled renewable energy. 

(iii) Climate change is a healthcare crisis. In rich countries, extreme weather may destroy coastal holiday homes. In Africa, millions are bodily impacted. Many could be killed as weather gets more extreme and diseases spread faster. Healthcare needs to move to the centre of climate action in Africa. Here is not only a potential catastrophe but also an opportunity for med-tech and drug companies.

(iv) We know the green economy, especially the solar energy sector, has enormous potential to create jobs, and hence grow the constituency of people who support sustainable outcomes. Up to 3.3 million new green jobs are forecast across Africa by 2030. But this doesn’t happen by itself. It needs funding and policy support from business and political leaders. Job creation is still an overlooked metric in green sectors.

(v) It’s all very well to be growing the installed capacity of renewable energy sources (Africa has doubled it in the past seven years). But without adequate grids to transmit the electricity, the impact is limited. A big financial lift is needed to give the continent adequate electrical plumbing. Build grids, not just green power plants, for more and cleaner energy access.

(vi) The transformative potential of artificial intelligence is widely hailed… but far from evident in Africa’s green economy. We have yet to embrace AI as a driver of green solutions. It should be an easy win. Local AI companies are plentiful. But they need to be brought to the table on climate issues. 

(vii) Who would be (among) the biggest losers if Africa’s natural world deteriorated further? The tourism sector. Most outside visitors to the continent come to see flora and fauna. Tourism companies have an outsized interest in sustainability. And yet, they too are missing from key climate conversations. Let’s bring tourism into the green economy.

(viii) Recent years have seen lots of financial innovation to fund the protection of biodiversity and wild places. Markets for bio-credit are spreading. Will they work? To find out, more of these new-fangled ideas need to be tried in the wild. There are no guarantees. Fancy solutions can flop. And if they do, that’s fine. But without more rugged testing, these promising ideas will remain talking points.

(ix) Not all good opportunities look sexy. Some of the best ones are ugly ducklings. Waste management strategies could inject $8 billion annually into Africa's green economy, fostering job growth and accelerating climate action. Seize the sustainable treasures in Africa’s landfills. Carpe debris.

(x) Africa’s electric vehicle market took off last year. Battery-powered motorbikes are yielding instant benefits to riders and their cities. But the key to scaling is roping in corporate vehicle buyers. Companies (and governments) buy buses, trucks and delivery vans. They have money – much more so than African consumers. That’s a neglected lever for a mobility transition. Find the fleet managers and convince them to go electric.