A section of the guests
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has promoted a number of interventions towards ensuring a healthy environment.
The action, the Authority stated, was based on its recognition of clean air as a fundamental right for every citizen and a crucial element in the fight against climate change.
These include the implementation of Environmental Assessment regulations, undertaking the installation of pollution control systems to monitor air emissions and ambient air quality, and the submission of reports to the Authority at defined frequencies.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of EPA, Professor Nana Ama Klutse, made the disclosures in a speech read on her behalf by Ag. Deputy Executive Director/Technical Services, Esi Nerquaye-Tetteh, during the commemoration of International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies held in Accra.
She stated that air pollution has been identified as one of the environmental health risks, as indicated by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
She added that statistics indicates that 99% of the world’s population live in places with unhealthy levels of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 micrometer (PM25) while 34% live in areas that exceed even the least stringent WHO interim air quality targets.
The Introduction of the Ghana Online Continuous Emission Monitoring System (GOCEMS), which facilitates prompt action to address emission episodes from these undertakings, is another intervention from the Authority.
The Development of the Air Quality Standards in collaboration with the Ghana Standards Authority and other stakeholders, as well as the creation of awareness on the dangers of air pollution and the need to ensure clean air for all, is another intervention by the Authority.
Prof. Klutse said in the case of Ghana, the State of the Global Air (SoGA) report, 2024 ranked outdoor particulate matter (PM) as the third leading risk factor, and household air pollution (HAP) as the first for deaths.
She added that this year, the Authority, with support from the Energy Institute of Chicago (EPIC) Air Quality Fund, has established a monitoring network in Tema.
Minister for Energy and Petroleum, John Jinapor, on his part stated that his ministry, cognisant of the contributions of the energy sector to environmental pollution, is undertaking various interventions along the entire energy value chain to improve air quality.
“As you may be aware, efforts are being made to scale up renewable energy generation and reduce dependence on fossil fuels for electricity,” he added.
He also indicated that efforts are being made to enforce the zero gas flaring policy in upstream operations, and the EPA can attest that gas flaring from the producing fields has substantially reduced over the years and will further reduce.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke