Greenpeace International executive director Bunny McDiarmid visited the Greenpeace Africa office in Johannesburg, on Wednesday, to show solidarity and gain further insight into the key issues.

The visit was McDiarmid’s first to Africa since taking office in April.

Greenpeace Africa was concentrating its efforts on promoting sustainable development, with particular emphasis on policies that supported investment and development in clean renewable energy.

“I came to meet and support my colleagues here in Africa,” said McDiarmid during the visit.

She added that promoting sustainable development was the most viable option for driving sustainable social and economic change and to protect the common climate.

“Keeping dirty fossil fuels in the ground in every corner of the world is no longer a choice, it is an imperative," she said.

While access to electricity was key to supporting people out of poverty, a quarter of the world’s population had no access to electricity, with most of these people living in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

"Achieving 100% renewable energy by 2050 is absolutely possible in Africa. However, it will require a shift in understanding that renewable energy is already a viable solution, but it needs to be backed by the policy-makers,” McDiarmid asserted.

Greenpeace Africa was also working, as part of a global effort, to get a stronger response to stop illegal and unregulated plundering of its vast natural forests and to safeguard its rich ocean resources.

"Just as collective action on climate change is key to resolving a global problem, Greenpeace Africa is calling on African nations to work together to manage and protect these precious resources so that they are there for future generations" said McDiarmid.

Greenpeace International recently appointed two female International executive directors, including Jennifer Morgan and McDiarmid, who took up the reigns in an innovative shared-leadership role in April. They succeeded South African-born Kumi Naidoo, who had been at the helm of the organisation for five-and-a half years.