Incorporating Just Transition into Ghana Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

Ghana Nationally Determined Contributions NDCs will switch all operational power plants running on liquid fuel (LCO, Distillate oil, Heavy fuel oil) to run on natural gas. Plants have been commissioned to run on natural gas as well as liquid fuel Commission of thermal plants to run on natural gas. Secure gas supply for the power plants. Build a robust pipeline system to facilitate gas transportation.

fossil gas is not a “low carbon” energy source, but in fact “high carbon” when compared to renewable energy

sources like wind, solar and geothermal. And even “very” high carbon when accounting for fugitive methane emissions in its production, which are an often under-apprehended additional climate impact

Transition away from fossil fuels to 100% renewable energy and combined with strong energy efficiency no later than 2050 is the most crucial element of achieving the Paris climate goals. This means phasing out all fossil fuels including fossil gas.

The role of fossil gas in the transition to 100% renewable energy is limited and does not justify an increase in fossil gas production nor consumption, nor investment in new fossil gas infrastructure. We need a managed phase-out of fossil gas in line with Paris climate goals.

Climate change in Ghana is expected to: render rainfall patterns increasingly unpredictable and erratic; an increase means temperature by 1.5 – 5.2°c by 2090 and increase sea level by 34.5cm by 2090. This is likely to have serious implications for the agricultural sector, which contributes 54% of Ghana’s GDP.

An important area is the use of natural gas to improve power system flexibility as a result of limited potential for renewable energy.

AbibiNsroma Foundation will Support a natural gas transition strategy as a long-term objective to have a net-zero carbon energy system, the transition toward renewable energy will ensure an affordable and reliable energy supply and adopted natural gas as part of our energy mix and transition pathways.

AbibiNsroma Foundation is strongly encouraging the government of Ghana and ECAs to conduct a carefully managed to phase-out of the fossil fuel industry and ensure a just transition for the workers and communities that depend on it.