City targets 30% reduction in waste-sector methane emissions by 2030 through zero-waste measures and community partnerships
By Bunmi Yekini
Ghana’s capital, Accra, has unveiled a roadmap to cut methane emissions from its waste sector by at least 30% by 2030, aiming to curb climate-warming pollution while creating jobs, improving public health and accelerating its transition to a zero-waste economy.
The LOW-Methane Portfolio aligns with Ghana’s commitments under the Global Methane Pledge and the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris climate agreement. It supports the national target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 21,313 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (ktCO₂e) by 2030 through improved urban solid waste management.
Developed with technical support from the Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO), the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and C40 Cities, the plan focuses on separating organic waste at source, diverting biodegradable waste from landfills and integrating waste pickers into the city’s waste management system.
“Accra’s LOW-Methane Portfolio is proof that when local governments, national, regional and global organisations pull in the same direction, climate targets can become real action on the ground,” Desmond Alugnoa, GAIA Africa’s Zero Waste and Climate Programme Manager, said in a statement.
“The opportunity to cut waste methane at the local level is enormous, and Accra is showing that cities across Africa are ready to move when communities, governments and partners co-create practical, locally rooted zero-waste solutions,” he added.
Under the strategy, Accra aims to collect at least 50% of organic waste separately by 2030 through citywide collection systems and regulations. It also plans to establish a decentralised organic waste management network capable of diverting at least 30% of organic waste by 2040.
The city will also expand public education on the health and climate impacts of food waste and methane emissions while strengthening monitoring of progress toward Ghana’s climate commitments.
“We envision an Accra where climate action is more than a policy commitment; it is a promise to our people, our children and the generations who will inherit this city,” said Victor N. Kotey, Deputy Head of Waste Management at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
According to the portfolio, the measures are projected to reduce methane emissions by about 13,500 tonnes annually by 2040 while creating jobs, improving air quality, boosting compost production to strengthen food systems and expanding the use of biogas to improve energy resilience.
Jacob Johnson Attakpah, Zero Waste Director at GAYO, said the next phase would require stronger partnerships and investment to scale up decentralised, community-based waste management systems.
He said waste pickers should play a central role in implementing the strategy, describing them as essential contributors to reducing landfill waste, increasing resource recovery and delivering measurable methane reductions.
Accra was recently recognised by the United Nations as one of 20 cities making progress toward a zero-waste future. City officials said the new portfolio would help attract support from development partners, investors, philanthropic organisations and the private sector to expand climate-friendly waste management initiatives and reinforce Accra’s position as a leader in urban climate action in Africa.