Ghana has launched a Green Cooling Programme aimed at tackling one of the country’s biggest environmental challenges, greenhouse gas emissions from air conditioners, which account for nearly 80% of national emissions.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with support from the Swiss KliK Foundation, seeks to accelerate the transition towards energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling systems.
Air Conditioners: Comfort with a Cost
At the launch event in Accra, Mr. Francis Addo-Okyireh, Head of the Climate Change and Ozone Department at the EPA, stressed that the growing demand for air-conditioning in Ghana comes at a steep environmental price.
“The air-conditioning sub-sector is one of the largest contributors to our current and future greenhouse gas emissions. This is due to high electricity consumption and refrigerants with very high global warming potential,” he explained.
With urbanisation, population growth, and rising electrification, air-conditioning use is projected to surge in the coming years. “This growing demand comes with a significant environmental cost. The new programme aims to fundamentally shift Ghana’s air-conditioning sector towards low-carbon cooling,” Mr. Addo-Okyireh added.
Greener Cooling, Lower Impact
The programme will promote green split ACs that use natural refrigerants with ultra-low warming potential, offering an opportunity to reduce emissions drastically while also lowering long-term energy costs.
Mr. Addo-Okyireh noted that this transition represents a “monumental opportunity” to prevent severe environmental damage for decades to come.
Jobs, Skills, and Energy Savings
Beyond cutting emissions, the programme is also expected to deliver sustainable development benefits.
Mr. Michael Kofi Abrokwaa, Project Manager for the KliK Foundation in Ghana, highlighted that air conditioners are no longer luxury goods but essential appliances for households, workplaces, and health facilities.
“The Ghana Green Cooling Programme will create new skills and jobs for technicians, reduce pressure on Ghana’s electricity grid, and foster healthier, safer communities,” he said.
He added that the programme will also support green public procurement, working with the Public Procurement Authority to ensure government entities adopt environmentally sustainable cooling solutions.
Aligning with National Climate Goals
Mrs. Eunice A. Biritwum, Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, noted that her outfit had already trained procurement officers in state institutions to apply the Most Economically Advantageous Tender process, which prioritizes both cost efficiency and environmental impact.
She revealed that the Commission is also exploring new policy strategies to facilitate financing and ensure the cooling sector aligns with Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
