developingcountries

Utilities in developing countries are juggling a complex set of problems: How to extend electricity to those who don’t have it; how to deploy large-scale power generation to power economic growth; and how to pursue these goals while decarbonizing.  In this episode, guest host Lara Pierpoint talks to Kate Steel, CEO of Nithio, a finance company focused on off-grid clean energy in Africa. Kate and Lara discuss the options for separating economic growth from fossil fuels. And she argues that we have the technology to develop low-carbon electrified economies in developing economies; we just need to deploy it. Lara and Kate weigh in on:  The tension between expanding access to low-cost power and attracting investment in large-scale baseload generation Why off-grid solar is often more economically viable than diesel generators for rural electrification How canceled power purchase agreements have stymied the development of renewables and how to solve these financing challenges  “Reverse” tech transfer from developing countries to developed ones, such as hyper-efficient appliances  Options for off-grid power, such as lanterns, microgrids, microhydro, biogas and liquefied petroleum gas canisters. How transportation may leapfrog fossil fuels in developing countries with electric motorbikes, buses and cars Recommended Resources: Canary Media: COP26 players pledge funding to shut down coal plants Bloomberg: A New Era of Climate Disasters Revives Calls for Climate Reparations Canary Media: Expanding solar access in Africa through artificial intelligence Columbia University’s Center on Sustainable Investment: Roadmap to Zero-Carbon Electrification of Africa  Catalyst is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media. Catalyst is supported by Scale Microgrid Solutions, your comprehensive source for all distributed energy financing. Distributed generation can be complex. Scale makes financing it easy. Visit scalecapitalsolutions.com to learn more. Catalyst is supported by CohnReznick, a trusted partner for navigating the complex and evolving financial, tax and regulatory landscape of the renewable sector. Visit cohnreznick.com to learn more.

A coalition of wealthier countries have promised that they'll provide $100 billion each year to help developing countries tackle climate change. So far, most haven't delivered on their promises, and it's a huge point of contention in the talks in Glasgow right now.

Today on the show, NPR climate correspondent Lauren Sommer reports on how it looks when one country does get help, and how much more is needed for climate equity.

Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

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NPR climate correspondents Lauren Sommer and Dan Charles join the show before the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland (COP26) starts on Sunday. Diplomats, business executives, climate experts, and activists from all around the world will gather to discuss the question: Is the world on track to avoid the worst effects of climate change?

Lauren and Dan introduce us to two climate activists from countries that will be heavily impacted by climate change. Hilda Flavia Nakabuye from Uganda and María Laura Rojas from Colombia. We learn what's at stake for them if powerful countries don't move faster to halt climate change.

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