Ghana Scraps Emissions Levy—Experts Say Target Real Polluters, Not Drivers!
Ghana’s Emissions Levy, which was meant to be a high-profile way to deal with rising carbon emissions, was quietly repealed after just over a year. New research suggests it may not have had much of an effect.
The tax on owners of diesel and petrol vehicles was between GH₵ 75 and 300 per year, depending on the size of the engine. The goal was to cut down on emissions and pay for environmental projects. Dr. Daniel Westervelt of Columbia University looked at data from both satellites and the ground and found that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels didn’t change much while the levy was in place. Transport-related pollution levels also stayed mostly the same. Drivers said that the policy didn’t change how they drove, and critics said that the levy was more of a way to make money than a real way to protect the environment.
Research shows that vehicle exhaust, open burning, biomass use, and construction emissions have been the main sources of pollution in Accra for a long time, and things haven’t gotten much better in the past 20 years. Dr. Raphael Arku and Dr. Joseph Ayitio are two experts who say that stricter vehicle import standards, better public transportation, and affordable clean cooking fuels could cut air pollution by 50% or more.
Supporters say that Ghana should stop using broad taxes like the Emissions Levy and instead focus on specific actions that really lower pollution and protect public health.
