Shell Ghana Ltd & Newmont Collaborate To Reduce Carbon Footprint

Shell Ghana limited in collaboration with our valued partners Newmont Golden Ridge Limited, undertook a social performance event in support of selected communities in New Abriem District off Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region on Wednesday 29th May 2013. Shell�s Business Principles assimilates Social Performance as a strategic and integral component. At Shell, we work to help meet the rising energy demand in a responsible way. That means operating safely, minimising our impact on the environment and building trust with the communities who are our neighbours. Shell Ghana strategically supports three main thematic areas on social performance; Basic Education, HIV/AIDS Awareness and Road Safety. This Program focuses primarily on Promoting Basic Education, Health and Environment, under two broad Programs: the Breathing Spaces Program and Energy for Education Program both aimed at improving the quality of lives whiles contributing to the reduction in our carbon footprint. Speaking at the event, Director for Shell Ghana, Mr. Augustine Osei-Bonsu asserted that �At Shell, our ability to engage effectively with our neighbors in the communities where we operate on issues that concern them is essential to our business.� BREATHING SPACES PROGRAM: Research indicates that smoke from traditional cook stoves causes more than 4 million deaths a year, kills 1 person every 8 seconds. Women and children, who often work at home around the fire, are at the greatest risk of exposure and account for 85% of the deaths due to indoor air pollution globally. Half of the world�s population still prepares food over a traditional stove. Traditionally, biomass stoves account for 20% of the world�s black carbon emissions. In addition, poor wood combustion wastes natural resources leading to global deforestation. In 2007, Envirofit and the Shell Foundation partnered to launch a World-wide Clean Technology Cook Stoves Business to impact Indoor Air Pollution. They teamed up to make available quality energy efficient cook stoves to minimize the emissions of smoke and harmful chemicals that lead to disease and death .Through this partnership we are able to generate a growing awareness and increased focus of the problem of Indoor Air Pollution. Admittedly, access to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is expected to help; however, Currently LPG in the domestic fuel mix is 18% in Ghana, and even at that level, concentration of use remains in the urban areas. This clearly indicates a dependence on charcoal and firewood. The efficient clean burning cookstoves from Envirofit reduces charcoal used in cooking by 60%, promote efficient combustion and significantly impact the environment positively with; 65% Reduction of Carbon Monoxide emissions, 80% Reduction of smoke & toxic emissions and 40% Reduction of Black Carbon emissions there by contributing to minimizing the problem of deforestation. Shell Ghana Limited and Newmont Golden Ridge Limited recognize Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) as a challenge in our communities. Women and children, who often work at home around the fire, are at the greatest risk of exposure. They cook their daily meals by burning biomass fuel (wood or agricultural waste) over open fires or rudimentary, inefficient stoves, releasing high levels of toxic emissions into their homes. Inhalation of the fine particles and emissions from these traditional cooking methods is harmful to their health and causes heart and respiratory problems. 200 households in 10 communities within New Abirem District have been identified as the pilot beneficiaries of the Envirofit Clean Cook Stoves under the Breathing Space Program and will receive adequate product knowledge on the features and correct use of the product to improve quality of health and indoor air pollution, preventing climate change and protecting women & children. ENERGY FOR EDUCATION PROGRAM: The delivery of electric power is a challenge in many of our small towns and villages. The reading needs of school pupils (with emphasis on girls) after normal school hours are affected. Many of these households rely on kerosene lanterns and candles for light in managing their energy challenge with far reaching implication to their health and domestic safety. Director for Shell, Mr. Osei-Bonsu expressed that �Working closely together with our valued partners Newmont Golden Ridge Limited, we recognized the challenge of access to energy in the rural communities where we operate�.