Botswana is pursuing certain programs and projects in the green energy sector, as the southern African country seeks ways of transitioning from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based one and creating jobs.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi made this revelation Wednesday when giving a keynote address during the Botswana World Economic Forum (WEF) post-analysis seminar in Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana.
“In our quest to transition from a resource-based to knowledge-based economy and create jobs, there are certain programs and projects that we are pursuing, some of which are in the green energy sector,” said Masisi.
Masisi said Botswana, which is currently reviewing its integrated resource plan in order to expand the contribution of solar energy to Botswana’s energy mix, is working around the clock to ensure that there is the financing of programs and projects in the green energy sector.
The envisaged expansion in the contribution of solar energy in the southern African country’s energy mix is necessitated by Botswana’s best sunrise for solar energy, according to Masisi.
Mpho Regoeng, an independent energy expert based in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, told the seminar that green investments lead to a job shift instead of net job gains in the long run and may well create net new jobs in the short run if they are undertaken in an economy.
Regoeng cited an example by saying that investing in solar photovoltaic energy creates an average of 1.5 times as many jobs as investing the same amount of money in fossil fuels.
According to the International Labour Organization, a shift to a greener economy could create 24 million new jobs globally by 2030 if the right policies are put in place.
