The transport sector is a major contributor to global greenhouse (GHG) gas emissions globally, contributing to nearly 25% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 according to the International Energy Agency. Ninety-five percent of transport sector energy is sourced from fossil fuels, meaning decarbonizing the sector can yield significant steps towards the objectives of the 2015 Paris Agreement on reducing global emissions.
Decarbonising the transport sector is especially important in developing economies where demand for the movement of people, goods and the exchange of information is growing rapidly. The current emissions trajectory of the sector will worsen if steps are not taken to develop sustainable and inclusive strategies to reduce energy consumption and utilize cleaner energy sources.
Ghana shares many common characteristics of rapidly developing economies, however since 2022 has followed its National Energy Transition Framework to transition “Ghana into a climate-resilient low-carbon energy country, that will accelerate her development efforts, and enhance the well-being of her people without sacrificing the quality of her environment and resources” as stated by former President Akufo-Addo and the Ministry of Energy.
Net zero transport plans at city level
The Framework outlines a credible 50-year pathway for decarbonization across key sectors of the economy, including oil and gas, industry, transport, cooking, and power. It also identifies a USD 550 billion investment opportunity for the international community to support Ghana’s sustainable development.
The transition plans include the use of natural gas as a transition fuel, as well promoting the use of Electric Vehicles (EV). The UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre (UNEP CCC)is supporting Ghana to develop a national-level Net Zero Plan in cooperation with Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority. The planning uses a Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) model developed for both national and municipal level planning.
UNEP CCC is also working at the municipal level with the University of Cape Town (UCT) and KUNST University to develop a Net Zero Transport Plan for Kumasi – a city of 450,000 people in Ghana’s Ashanti Region. Currently transport in Kumasi is characterised by a heavy reliance on older generation and high-emitting diesel fuel engines and high-emitting two-stroke petrol engines.
Four dimensions of net zero interventions
Transitioning Kumasi’s transport sector to net-zero requires interventions in greater Kumasi to bring total greenhouse gas emissions from transport activities into balance with emissions reductions – both directly from transport activities, as well as indirectly in other sectors. The urban transport net zero target for Kumasi has four dimensions:
- Sectoral, focusing on the transport sector alone (acknowledging that any GHG emissions have global impact).
- Spatial, dealing with the spatial demarcation of an urban area (greater Kumasi), which means having to deal with boundary effects (acknowledging that any GHG emissions have global impact).
- Carbon Neutral, introducing the need to come up with ‘carbon’ neutrality, i.e. to identify and balance sources and sinks (whether or not limited to the same sector and spatial demarcated area).
- Equitable, studying the impacts of the net-zero strategy on air quality as well as inclusivity and equity.
Data models for green urban growth and transport
UNEP CCC staff are working with UCT and KUNST colleagues to develop modelling scenarios using the LEAP tool and a geospatial City Transparency Tool for Transport (CTTT). The CTTT is an emerging tool developed by the UNEP CCC and being piloted in Kumasi before wider implementation. The CTTT aims to provide countries with data collection and resource challenges with options to model urban growth, transport demand and resulting GHG emissions.
The modelling scenarios for Kumasi combine the analysis of both the LEAP tool and CTTT against a business as usual (BAU) scenario to measure potential emissions reductions progress and planning. The scenarios produced include both comprehensive and combination applications of the ‘enhance, avoid, shift, and improve’ considerations for transport planning.
Avoid refers to minimising citizens needs for travel by decentralising the provision of goods and services. Shift refers to infrastructure investments which encourage public transport, cycling, or walking. Improve refers to the quality of vehicle technology, fuels, and energy efficiency in transport. Enhance refers to the co-benefits of improved transport, primarily the labour participation of communities such as women and the disadvantaged, as well as improvements in public health. Currently women’s labour participation in Kumasi us below 20%, and accordingly the project also uses gender-disaggregated and socio-economic data to enhance better planning.
Coming stages of the project will include further building the capacity of the city government to conduct urban planning and policy development, as well as delivering a roadmap for implementation of the transport assessment, including investment and financing recommendations incorporating the co-benefits in economic productivity and public health.