Accra, Ghana - Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Ghana have been encouraged to collaborate with the government to reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane (CH4). This call to action was made during a workshop organized by Greener Impacts International (GII) in partnership with other stakeholders. The workshop aimed to educate CSOs on the sources of methane gas and potential strategies to mitigate its impact as part of broader climate change efforts.
According to Ghana News Agency, Acting Director of Climate Vulnerabilities and Adaptation at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), methane gas, which arises from activities such as fossil fuel extraction and production, livestock digestion, rice cultivation, wastewater treatment, and landfills, is over 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) in trapping heat in the atmosphere. Dr. Amoah highlighted that methane contributes to about one-third of current anthropogenic greenhouse gas-driven warming. He stressed the need for more global climate finance to be directed toward methane mitigation, noting that only two percent is currently allocated for this purpose. He warned that without adherence to the Global Methane Pledge, emissions could increase by 13 percent by 2030.
Dr. Amoah also pointed out that methane is being used to create organic fertilizer, suggesting that CSOs could research further potential uses. He emphasized that Ghana's Nationally Determined Contributions, aimed at climate change mitigation and adaptation, include policies to reduce GHG emissions. The country is committed to continuing efforts to mitigate methane and other short-lived climate pollutants as part of its national decarbonization goals.
Dr. Mutala Mohammed, a Research Scientist and Head of the Sustainable Energy Technology Division at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - Institute of Industrial Research, described methane as a short-term climate forcer with a significant impact on global emissions. He explained its detrimental effects on human health, ecosystems, agriculture, and tourism sectors, and its role in exacerbating natural disasters and water resource stresses.
Mr. Kassim Gawusu-Toure, Executive Director of Greener Impacts International, emphasized the workshop's objective to enhance CSOs' understanding of methane emissions and their role in environmental pollution. The workshop aligned with global actions agreed upon at COP26 in Glasgow, where countries representing 45 percent of global methane emissions pledged to reduce emissions by at least 30 percent below 2020 levels by 2030. In Ghana, methane is identified as the second most important long-lived climate pollutant after CO2, and various policy interventions have been implemented to address methane emissions.