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| Francis Npong |
Climate change has been identified as
a major threat to sustainable health and development in Africa and the world at
large.
With its devastating impacts on
agriculture, water resources, forest, human and animal health, and ecological
system, climate change has become a major threat to people’s lives and
development.
Climate change is already causing
damages in infrastructure, and health systems in Ghana. The devastating
evidence of climate change on livelihoods, economic and infrastructure
development is obvious.
“The poor and vulnerable communities
are already being hurt, our livelihood and health is under threat in the wake
of climate change. We have identified the underlining causes of climate change
but we are unable to take measures to control these underlining causes majority
of which are human activities”, says Eric Anaba, a Ghanaian research scientist.
As a research scientist, Anaba is
already worried about the depressing farmers, poor crop yields, and increasing
water stresses across Ghana. Climate change, he said is contributing to
worsening vulnerability of the poor in the country.
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| Air Pollution |
“Climate change has become a major
threat to global efforts aimed at ending poverty, malnutrition, migration and
hunger and inequality in Africa”, he said.
Compromised Air
Quality
There is already a national mask wearing policy in
China, the biggest polluter. China is known for extensive use of coal-fired
plants in the production sector. China emits more than 350 million metric tons
of toxic substances into the atmosphere annually. The uncontrolled emission in
China however led to the pollution of clean air-hence a policy to wear face
mask.
Ghana must necessarily learn lessons from China. Clean
air is essential to life and good health. Several important pollutants are
produced by fossil fuel combustion: carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur
oxides, and hydrocarbons.
Also, total suspended particulates which contribute to
air pollution, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons can combine in the atmosphere
to form tropospheric ozone, the major constituent of smog.
Carbon monoxide is a gas formed as a by-product during
the incomplete combustion of all fossil fuels. Exposure to carbon monoxide can
cause headaches and place additional stress on people with heart disease. Cars
and trucks are the primary source of carbon monoxide emissions.
Nitrogen oxides irritate the lungs to cause bronchitis
and pneumonia. It also decreases resistance to respiratory infections according
to health experts.
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| People Wearing Mask Due to Air Pollution |
Based on the above information,
Ghana, whose health systems are already overburdened would collapse if there is
an increased use of fossil fuel.
The urgent need for energy to power
the economic sector should not lure Ghanaian authorities into adopting coal
energy. Coal, based on its contributions to climate change should be considered
as alternative in the quest for sustainable energy. The price of adopting coal
would be too huge to pay in future.
Ghana’s health system is already weak
and would stress if authorities continue to depend on fossil fuel rather than clean
energy such as wind, solar and gas.
Already, Ghanaian’s rapid response to
epidemic is discouraging and the only way stay out of climate change shocks is to
adopt measures that would not contribute to worsening of health and
livelihoods.
The use of fossil fuels would compromise people health
and worsen the already fragile health sector of the nation.
Environmental Journalist
Climate Change Communication
Consultant
+233 (0) 209 33 62 86
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