For clean energy, financial growth, Africa looks to UN talks

Comment on this storyCommentMOMBASA, Kenya — In Kenya’s semi-arid Makueni County, 50-year-old Purity Kinyili used to spend most of her time traveling for water and firewood to sustain her family and farmland.But then the government set up an initiative to install solar energy in rural towns, so she got hold of the easy-to-install panels, set them up and sunk a solar-powered borehole. Now her once dry land has turned a lush green, and she’s even got enough power left over for electricity in her home.Access to more and cleaner energy while continuing to grow economically will be a top priority for African nations in the upcoming United Nations climate conference in November, top officials and climate experts on the continent said.As part of Africa’s goal for what’s called a “just transition” — ensuring that the buildout of clean energy is fair and inclusive — the…

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