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UN Environment Programme. The authors
published their findings this month in The
Lancet Planetary Health.
The researchers looked at the 2019 Global
Burden of Disease Study, a Lancet study from
October 2020 that measured diseases and
causes of death in over 200 countries and
territories, as well as air pollution data from
the World Health Organisation.
Most of the air pollution deaths in Africa
were related to household air pollution, which
accounted for 697,000 deaths that year. Many
African households still rely on fuels such as
charcoal and kerosene for indoor cookstoves.
In Ethiopia and Rwanda, an estimated 98 per
cent of households still use these fuels.
But while deaths due to household air
pollution have been slowly declining, deaths
from ambient air pollution have been on the
rise. In 2015, air pollution deaths accounted
for 361,000 deaths compared to 383,000 in
Others are the Transmission Company Contributing to a global virtual 2019.
of Nigeria’s Abuja power feeding project MoNaL workshop on Electromobility and Boston College professor Philip Landrigan,
(N27.48bn); and the National Rural Decentralised Energy Systems in Ghana, who co-led the study, said the increase in
Electrification Agency’s Nigeria Electrification Oliver Boakye, Special Adviser to the MESTI ambient air pollution-related deaths was “the
Projects of N38.35bn and N32.81bn. Minister, said the government considers the most disturbing finding.”
deployment of e-mobility vehicles in Ghana as “While this increase is still modest, it
an important and positive development. threatens to increase exponentially as African
He noted that Motor traffic contributes cities grow in the next two to three decades
CLIMATE CHANGE about 24% of CO2 emissions in the and the continent develops economically.”
environment, thereby making the earth Africa is undergoing a massive economic
Ghana ready to support warmer with its consequences. shift. The continent is experiencing rapid
“And the solution to this challenge is
urbanisation and industrialisation, which
E-Mobility to reduce climate electric vehicles”, Mr Boakye stressed. comes with increased fossil fuel consumption.
Unlike gasoline and diesel cars, he said,
By 2100, the continent is expected to have 13
change, CO2 emissions “electric cars do not emit CO2, as the batteries megacities and more than triple its population
from 1.3bn to 4.3bn.
and electricity to power them would come
Government through the Environment, from renewable energy and assure quality air
Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI) and better health of the people”. He, therefore,
Ministry, has assured stakeholders involved called on all stakeholders to embrace the
in the “Mobility Sustainably thought through MoNaL innovation.
the life cycle” (MoNaL) project of support
and policies to ensure the success of the
innovation.
The project aims to reduce climate POLLUTION
change and carbon emissions by the use of
ElectroMobility, powered by renewable energy Air pollution in Africa
in the transportation sector.
The E-mobility vehicles, such as E-cargo responsible for 1.1mn deaths
bikes and E-scootersfitted with meters, would
be charged at designated charging stations. in 2019: study
Samples have been tested at Don BOSCO
at Tema in Ghana to help improve or modify A new study says that air pollution was
them to suit the local situation. responsible for 1.1mn deaths in Africa in 2019
The test also included its sustainability, while costing billions of dollars in GDP for
developing a smart mini-grid for the energy African countries.
supply, developing environmental standards The study was led by researchers based
and recycling concept and knowledge transfer in Massachusetts and involved researchers
through training. from Kenya and Rwanda affiliated with the

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