The West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) has signed an MoU with its German partners, the RWTH AACHEN University, Julich GmbH, through the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to build the capacity of 60 West African students.

The International Master’s programme seeks to help develop areas of renewable energy and green hydrogen.

Also, it will amplify conversations on combating climate change and improving livelihoods in West Africa.

The Executive Director of the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use, Dr Laurent Sédogo, in his address says “Green hydrogen can play a vital role in contributing to alleviate poverty and minimize green gas emission,”

Dr Sédogo explained that there have been scientific studies across various West African countries to boost investment in the area.

“We have a map that can show the potential of green hydrogen across West Africa. If we are able to improve production and make it accessible, in terms of affordability to help reduce the cost of it….we can improve agricultural production, develop eco-friendly industry, provide green jobs, among others,” he stated.

Recounting the impact of climate change, Dr Sédogo advocated that “we need to manage what is avoidable, this means there are already impacts of climate change which we need to manage them. We need to avoid the unmanageable ones.”

“That’s where green solutions like green hydrogen come in as smart solutions which have both benefits of managing what is unavoidable and then also preventing us from going into an unmanageable situation.” he reiterated.

The Julich Board member Prof Wolfgang Marquandt applauded the partnering organizations and said that:

“We [industrialized countries] made mistakes in the past during industrialization as developed countries, and maybe our joined and diverse experiences will help developing countries not to make the same mistakes, and we learn how we can cure the failures we have produced over the years.”