CSOs join Ghana’s effort at reducing Methane emissions, launch Campaign
A Campaign Against Methane Emission in Ghana (CAMEG), has been launched in Accra, mobilising support from various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and state institutions in helping reduce methane emission in Ghana.
The CAMEG is an initiative led by Greener Impact International (GII), an NGO, with the support from the Clean Air Task Force (CATF).
The campaign aims to promote actions that reduce methane emissions from energy, waste, and agriculture, contributing to Ghana’s climate change mitigation goals and the global methane pledge.
At a campaign workshop, the CSOs were briefed on the issue of methane, as a dangerous gas that pollutes the environment and warms the atmosphere 86 times more powerfully than carbon dioxide (CO2), contributing to global warming.
Mr Timothy Apeanti, Campaign Coordinator, at GII, said their mission was to use the campaign to raise public awareness about the impact of methane on climate change and health.
Through the campaign, they would also mobilize national and local action to achieve methane abatement in line with the Global Methane Pledge
He among key activities would be to engaging Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in dialogues to promote adoption of methane abatement solutions and technologies
There would also be the training of informal waste collectors on the best waste collection and management practices and engaging in policy advocacy and national dialogues on methane.
“We will promote best practices for the disposal of market organic waste, foster collaborations with national level stakeholders including government, NGOs and media to raise public awareness and also partner with schools and support student-led methane emission reduction initiatives,” he said.
Giving a background to the campign, Mr Apeanti, who is also the lead Research of the campaign, said in 2023, the GII conducted a study on methane emission and management in Nsawam Adoagyiri and La Nkwatanang Madina Municipal Assemblies.
This was followed by a workshop to strengthen the capacity of Ghanaian CSOs on methane action, laying the foundation for the methane campaign, which would leverage partnerships with national NGOs, including the HATOF Foundation, Institute of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Solutions (ISEES), the CSOs platform on Sustainable Development Goals, and the Kasa Initiative.
He said climate change, driven by increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, was the greatest challenge facing the world today while methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is over 25 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2.
“Its major sources include fossil fuel extraction, livestock digestion, rice cultivation, landfills, and wastewater treatment, therefore, reducing methane emissions is critical to combating climate change.
Meanwhile, during COP26 held in Glasgow, UK, countries representing 45 per cent of global methane emissions pledged to reduce emissions by at least 30 per cent below 2020 levels by 2030.
Methane is the second most significant climate pollutant after carbon dioxide. In line with the global methane pledge Ghana has made policy interventions to address methane emissions, including a national action plan to mitigate short-lived climate pollutants, featured in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Dr. Antwi Boasiako, Director, Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation at the Climate Change Department of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said collaboration between the various actors was important in ensuring that Ghana play its part in reducing global emissions.
He said globally, the agriculture, energy and waste management sectors continue to emit methane into the atmosphere, adding that from 2011 to 2021 methane emissions had increased to about 32 percent globally.
He said if nothing were done, methane emissions would double, endangering the lives of humans, animals, and other living organisms.
He mentioned that already, the country had started inculcating methane mitigating measures in its various policy documents including the National Gas Master Plan framework, National Carbon Market framework, and the NDCs 3, which would focus on methane specific target.
Civil Society Organizations and NGOs have a critical role to play in driving the climate change agenda both at the national and international level.
The various partner NGOs pledged their support to the campaign and assured that they would carry the message among the populace in the efforts of reducing methane emissions in the country.
Source: GNA