Andy Costa: Who is that man wearing a bike helmet all around COP27? | Science & Tech

A bright green bicycle helmet stands out among the crowds that walk around the miles of pavilions of COP27, the UN climate summit. Since the beginning of the conference, it has become one of the protagonists present in Sharm el-Sheikh, as photographed as the political leaders who are gathered in Egypt for the event. But who is the person in a bike helmet who sits at the tables of the delegations and chats with heads of state like French President Emmanuel Macron? “Hello! How are you?” greets Ivorian activist Andy Costa with a big hug, a brawny and affable man who for the occasion complemented his look with a light blue African tunic, although he also usually wears a suit and tie.

The reasoning behind his bright green helmet is simple: it is impossible to go unnoticed with it. That is why he even wears it in his WhatsApp profile picture. It is his personal brand, explains Costa, a member of the My Dream for Africa Foundation; in addition to drawing attention to bicycle mobility, it is an object of protection that symbolizes that we have to protect the environment.

As a result of all the attention he attracts with his helmet, Costa has earned a reputation as Africa’s cycling ambassador, an essential role in a continent that is gradually incorporating highways into its layout but which lacks an extensive railway network and has serious traffic problems, countless roads in poor condition and remote areas that are difficult to access or dangerous. In this context, Costa…