ACCRA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has said that the country was committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
Bawumia made the commitment Wednesday in his virtual address during the opening of the three-day 2022 Ghana International Petroleum Conference.
Even though Ghana was committed to reducing emissions, "We are of the view that a balance must be struck and maintained in the context of our socio-economic and environmental requirements," he said.
"As a country, we are fully committed to achieving zero net carbon emissions by 2070. But we shall also have to take steps to accelerate the production and utilization of our oil and gas reserves for economic development," said the vice president.
"Fossil fuels, especially natural gas, would continue to be part of Ghana's energy mix in the short term," he added.
Bawumia signaled that energy transition could come with challenges, including lower demand in the downstream petroleum sector. He urged players in the downstream sector on the African continent to focus on innovation and diversification to thrive and mitigate the impact of the transition. ■