Rwanda has become the newest member of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. The announcement was made, on Monday, at the Climate and Clean Air Coalition assembly in Marrakech, Morocco. The Climate and Clean Air Coalition is the only global effort that unites governments, civil society and private sector committed to improving air quality and protecting the climate by reducing short-lived climate pollutants across sectors. “I would like to officially welcome Rwanda as the newest member of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, which comes just a few weeks after the successful Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol,” said Catherine McKenna, the Canadian minister of environment and climate change. Complementary to mitigating carbon dioxide emissions, the coalition acts as a catalyst to create, implement and share immediate solutions addressing near-term climate change to improve people’s lives rapidly, and to ensure sustainable development for future generations. Natural Resources minister Vincent Biruta welcomed the development, saying Rwanda is happy to add its voice and support to such an important cause. He informed the assembly that Rwanda is establishing the Rwanda Climate Observatory, which will provide data needed to make informed decisions about how to reduce black carbon. The efforts, Dr Biruta added, are being facilitated by the adoption of a groundbreaking law on air pollution. “We look forward to working with coalition members to learn from one another and share experiences to boost our collective efforts. I notify the chairs and Secretariat that Rwanda would like to add its name to the call to action on black carbon by joining the initiative on championing cleaner diesel fuels and vehicles and in establishing black carbon inventories,” he said. Biruta said that while Rwanda may not be having heavy industries, older vehicles and diesel powered generators are polluting the air, especially in the country’s cities. “To help mitigate this challenge, we recently increased taxes on older vehicles, as well as introduced mandatory emissions testing for all vehicles. Another major challenges we are facing is emissions from biomass burning (mainly firewood and charcoal), which is the main source of energy used for cooking,” he added. Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, also congratulated Rwanda for the incredible work done to organise a successful meeting last month that led to the Kigali Amendment. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
