The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has pledged to partner with relevant stakeholders to ensure that industries in the country reduce their carbon footprint.

This, the association said, is crucial toward the contribution to the global call on reduction of carbon emission, which is gradually becoming harmful to the environment.

In this vein, the AGI is encouraging its members to adopt renewables, which are a more efficient and cleaner source of energy in their operations, to minimise impacts on the environment.

It said clean energy sources – such as solar, biomass and wind – are fast becoming the centre of attraction across the world in delivering sustainable energy supply as they are more efficient, environmentally friendly and cost effective in the long run.

Speaking at a training programme on green gas reduction for chemical industries in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AGI, Seth Twum Akwaboah, stated that the association was taking deliberate steps to ensure that industries adopt renewables to reduce cost of production and protect the environment.

“We think the environment is key to the survival of businesses and human beings and so over the years, we have been implementing a lot of programmes that support the environment,” he added.

The training

The three-day capacity-building programme sought to equip firms in the country’s chemical industries to reduce their carbon emissions. It took place from August 21 to 23, 2023.

Training is designed to further enhance the sustainability efforts of participating companies by providing them with actionable insights, tools, and techniques to effectively identify and reduce their carbon footprint.

Participants included 40 individuals from 22 companies; namely: FC Cosmetics, Benso Oil Palm Plantation, Polytank Ghana, and Tobinco Pharmaceutical Limited (TPL), among others.

It is under the Climate Action Programme for the Chemical Industry (CAPCI) which is being implemented in Ghana by the German Development Agency (GIZ) and Environmental Protect Agency (EPA), in partnership with Association of Ghana Industries.

AGI’s commitment

Mr. Akwaboah expressed the commitment of AGI to build strong partnerships with relevant stakeholders in order to help firms in the country’s chemical industries reduce carbon emissions.

He said there was a need for industries to take issues on sustainable development seriously.

“We need to brace ourselves to understand the challenges and opportunities to be able to take advantage and comply with sustainable development because it may have an effect on our businesses,” he said.

Toward that, he said the association had established an energy centre dubbed AGI-Energy Service Centre to educate members on energy efficiency and renewables.

He said the adoption of renewable energy in the country is still low and for that reason, measures need to be put in place to increase the usage.

The CEO commended GIZ for its continued support for the AGI in the area of sustainable development.

Strengthening capacities

The Technical Advisor in-charge of CAPCI at GIZ, George Johnson, stated that CAPCI aims to strengthen the capacities of key actors for effective climate protection in the chemical industry, thereby enabling them to tap GHG mitigation potentials in chemical production and use, as well as in associated value chains.

“CAPCI is closely linked with the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3), and is implemented in cooperation with the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) and the capacity-building network of the United Nations Climate Secretariat,” he said.

He also indicated that Ghana was one of three focus countries of the global CAPCI project, together with Argentina and Thailand.

He said CAPCI in Ghana was being implemented by the GIZ’s Sustainable Energy and Climate Cluster as implementing partner.

“The project was aimed at enabling key actors in selected developing countries and emerging economies to identify and tap mitigation potentials in chemical production, use and associated value chains,” the advisor added.