On 6th August 2024, the HATOF Foundation and its partners launched the “Campaign Against Methane Emission in Ghana (CAMEG) to raise awareness about the impact of methane on climate change and health and to mobilize national and local action against methane emissions in Ghana.
The Campaign Against Methane Emissions follows a successful capacity development program for 40 civil society organizations (CSOs) in Ghana’s Greater Accra Region on methane action in December 2023, which laid the groundwork for the campaign.
Climate change is a major global challenge, with methane emissions from fossil fuel extraction, livestock digestion, rice cultivation, landfills, and wastewater treatment being the most potent greenhouse gases—thus 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming.
At COP26 in Glasgow, countries representing 45% of global methane emissions pledged to reduce emissions by 30% by 2030, below 2020 levels.
Following the global methane pledge, Ghana has also made significant policy interventions, including the national action plan to mitigate short-lived climate pollutants to address methane emissions.
The campaign therefore aims to promote actions that reduce methane emissions from energy, waste, and agriculture and contribute to Ghana’s climate change mitigation goals and the global methane pledge through partnerships with national civil society organizations and government agencies.
Already, HATOF has collaborated with Lancaster University UK, CSIR-IR, Sewerage Systems, and Green Advocacy Ghana to develop anaerobic digestion demonstrator systems in Ghana for electricity, sustainable fertilizer for crops, and sanitation improvements.
HATOF led a series of knowledge management and awareness-raising activities on climate action and emissions reduction potential of bioenergy technologies, such as the biodigester, through social mobilization from the community to national levels and environmental campaigns within the school system.
The partnership with Greener Impact International on Clean Air Taskforce funded campaign continues to demonstrate HATOF’s commitment to empowering local communities with knowledge and innovative solutions to reduce emissions, promote sustainable waste management practices, and mitigate the negative impact of climate change on the environment and human health.