Environmental advocates believe the $300 million energy pact which President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has signed with the World Bank in Tanzania will help achieve enabler number 7 of Malawi 2063.
This will ensure access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy; promoting environmental conservation in the process, according to the president of the Malawi Environmental Health Association (MEHA), Save Kumwenda.
Kumwenda said expanding electrification will reduce reliance on biomass fuels such as charcoal and firewood, which are primary drivers of deforestation and land degradation.
Executive Director of the Coordination Union for Rehabilitation of the Environment (CURE), Charles Mkoka, echoed Kumwenda’s sentiments.
He said with more people, households and businesses connected to electricity, the demand for charcoal production can decline, helping to preserve forests that serve as vital carbon sinks.
Mkoka added that this shift will also improve air quality and public health by reducing indoor air pollution caused by traditional biomass cooking methods.
On Monday, President Chakwera signed the $300 million grant between Malawi and the World Bank in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which is a key driver of the ATM strategy.
By Alufisha Fischer