I will innovate the public transport system with electric buses

General news for Thursday 25 February 2021

Source: Richard Atchore, contributor

02/25/2021

In 2015, the world witnessed a major international agreement that was adopted by all the nations of the world. It was the Paris Agreement in France intended to fight against climate change and its negative impacts.

The agreement includes commitments from all major emitting countries to reduce their climate pollution and to strengthen those commitments over time.

The Paris Agreement is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, on climate change mitigation, adaptation and financing, signed in 2016.

In this context, Ghana has taken a giant step towards tackling climate and environmental pollution by using electric buses for its public transport system.

According to the Minister-designate of the Ministry of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah during his review by the Parliamentary Appointments Committee on Tuesday February 23, 2021, Ghana is in the process of securing electric buses.

He explained that Ghana as a signatory to the PARIS AGREEMENT is on track to ensure better climate standards are in place.

“With electric buses, we will have reduced harmful exhaust emissions, which is good news for our health. Better air quality will lead to less health problems and lower air pollution costs. Electric vehicles (EVs) themselves do not emit any greenhouse gases (GHGs).

… Electric cars run very quietly, especially when they are fully battery powered. Electric cars can be powered naturally with renewable resources like solar, wind and hydro power. Gasoline, however, is created from petroleum, which is a natural resource, but not renewable. Electricity is also cheaper than gas. Electric cars typically cost a third of the cost of gasoline vehicles. Many electric vehicles also use regenerative braking to increase the energy the car needs to operate, which is completely free, ”explained the Minister.

He further revealed that Ghana was in talks with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to finance the purchase of electric buses.

The GCF is a unique global platform to respond to climate change by investing in low-emissions, climate-resilient development.

The GCF was created by 194 governments to limit or reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in developing countries and to help vulnerable societies adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change.