Support developing countries to redeem funding to meet net-zero targets - Energy Minister urges

Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has called on developed countries to support developing countries like Ghana to meet their net-zero targets.

According to the minister, this can be achieved by developed countries redeeming funding pledges they made to support developing countries towards the reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

The Minister made this call when he addressed a panel session on Funding Resilience: 'Post-COP28 Path Forward for Loss and Damage'.

Dr. Prempeh said developing countries face the challenge of achieving the SDG7 target of providing clean and affordable energy by 2030, due to the intense financial commitment required.

Most developing countries, he explained rely heavily on wood fuel to meet their energy needs and therefore argued that in the face of the global energy transition, this type of fuel, if not controlled, will erode the little gains made in the past few years towards the quest to combat climate change.

“It is not about the number of funds we establish, but it is about the commitment to these funds in terms of supporting developing countries, less emitters” he said.

The Minister who is also the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South said energy is the heartbeat of every economy, and it is important that Africa has enough of it to support its socio-economic development in order to enhance the welfare of the citizenry.

“Our right to develop our energy resources for the benefit of our people must therefore be respected and with no interference” Dr Opoku Prempeh said.

“We recognize that the electricity, cooking and transportation sectors are key areas in reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Consequently, steps must be taken to transition these sectors towards a net-zero emissions future” he added.

The Energy Minister continued, “to attain this, we must transition to the production and utilization of clean energy and the implementation of measures to mitigate any emissions that occur in the process. This will ensure that we contribute our quota to the reduction of global GHG emissions, and more importantly, achieve decarbonization, energy access, security, and efficiency”

The Minister further pointed this his outfit for instance is also aggressively promoting clean cooking with focus on achieving 50% access to the use LPG as fuel while delivering some 3 million improved efficient charcoal stoves by 2030.

“We have rolled out a number of programs, notably, the LPG for Development, Cylinder Recirculation Model, and Carbon-for-Free Stoves program for the biomass sector” he shared.

The Manhyia South lawmaker also used the opportunity to reiterate Ghana’s commitment to partner investors in exploring new energy frontiers in order to support sustainable, environmentally-sound and gender responsive economic growth.

MA