Ethiopia Leader in Transition from Fossil Fuels to Clean Energy: African Scholars

Addis Ababa, September 15, 2025 (ENA) -- Ethiopia is paving the way for clean energy by implementing the Green Legacy Initiative and building the largest dam (GERD), African Scholars said.

The Green Legacy Initiative contributes to clean energy by restoring ecosystems, mitigating climate change, and improving water resources as the GERD, the largest hydropower plant in Africa inaugurated to generate clean and renewable electricity.

Buhle Mbambo-Thata from the National University of Lesotho told ENA that Addis Ababa is a vivid evidence of Ethiopia’s impressive green initiative. “I am amazed how green the city has become,” she affirmed.

 

The city has become greener by planting so many trees, so many grasses, you can see it, she further added.

She also commended Ethiopia for its impressive initiatives in realizing clean energy by implementing various programs including the inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

The historic dam was officially inaugurated on September 9, 2025 by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in the presence of African leaders.

For the scholar, Ethiopia is paving the way for building clean energy-- transitioning from fossil fuels to generating hydro power from GERD.

The GERD stands as a milestone achieved through the collective efforts of the Ethiopian people.

Ethiopia is paving the way for harnessing its resources, such as solar, towards mitigating fossil fuel usage, she further noted.

Similarly, Monica Mensah Danquah from the University of Ghana said, “I am so happy about the various initiatives that Ethiopians have taken about climate change.”

 

There are so many initiatives from Ethiopia as the country has various solutions in its climate actions to build a resilient economy, she elaborated.

In this regard, the scholar emphasizes the need for sharing its best experiences among countries in the region and beyond.

“When we realize that Ethiopia, for instance, has moved on and has advanced well climate change solutions, maybe we should sit around the table and come to Ethiopia and ask what they did so that we can replicate it.”

Because, she added, solutions from one African country can actually be replicated in another country than solutions adopted from outside the continent.

Ethiopia is significantly expanding its clean energy sector, driven by its vast hydroelectric, solar, and wind power potential, with the goal of achieving energy security, improving quality of life, and fostering economic development.