Ms Tabitha Adinorkwor Alimo, Conservationist and Carbon Monitoring Specialist, has called for increased public education on carbon footprints, warning that poor understanding of the concept could undermine Ghana’s climate resilience and sustainable development efforts.
She said climate change was no longer a distant global issue but a daily reality in Ghana, evident in erratic rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, coastal erosion, flooding in urban centres and declining fish catch along the coast.
Touching on carbon footprints, Ms Alimo explained that a carbon footprint refers to the total greenhouse gas emissions produced by human activities, including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, which trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.
She noted that carbon footprints could be measured at both individual and national levels, stressing that everyday activities such as cooking, transportation, electricity use and waste disposal significantly contribute to emissions.
According to her, although Ghana is not among the world’s largest emitters, the country’s emissions are steadily increasing due to population growth, urbanisation and rising energy demand.
Ms Alimo identified charcoal and firewood use, fuel-powered transportation and heavy reliance on generators as major sources of emissions in Ghana, adding that these practices also worsen air pollution and respiratory illnesses, particularly among women and children.
She further highlighted deforestation, energy production and agriculture as the three major sectors shaping Ghana’s national emissions profile, warning that continued forest loss weakens the country’s natural ability to absorb carbon dioxide.
The conservationist cautioned that climate change already posed serious risks to Ghana’s economy because key sectors such as farming and fishing were highly climate-sensitive.
“When climate change reduces farm yields, food becomes more expensive, increasing pressure on households and worsening poverty,” she noted.
Ms Alimo urged the government, the private sector and citizens to adopt practical measures to reduce emissions, including protecting forests, promoting clean cooking fuels, investing in renewable energy, improving public transport and encouraging climate-smart agriculture.
She stressed that tackling carbon emissions required collective national action, noting that early intervention would help Ghana avoid long-term environmental and economic consequences.
“A carbon footprint is simply the environmental impact of how we live, cook, travel and produce goods,” she said, adding that decisions taken today would determine whether Ghana becomes climate-resilient or increasingly vulnerable.
GNA
