Cutting carbon gas emissions critical

Zimbabwe’s fossil carbon dioxide emissions, according to a 2016 Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research report, was 10,062,628 tonnes, which is equivalent to 0.72 tons per person, with the power industry contributing up to 30% of the total emissions.

It is an undisputed fact that one of the fundamental resolutions of The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) held at the SEC Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31  to November  13, 2021 was reduction of carbon emissions.

Parties agreed to work to strengthen their emissions reductions and to align their national climate action pledges with the Paris Agreement.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa represented Zimbabwe in Scotland.

He chastised developed countries and argued that they should pay more for causing global warming through emission of carbon gases into the atmosphere.

President Mnangagwa made an undertaking that Zimbabwe was targeting  a  40% per capita greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030.

He also indicated that comprehensive strategies were being implemented towards mainstreaming climate change adaptation and resilience across all sectors of  the economy.

However, despite the efforts of fighting climate change globally, the practical developments happening in Zimbabwe leaves a million dollar question on whether the government is sincere in cutting greenhouse emissions.

A Chinese firm, Sino Hydro is expanding Zimbabwe’s largest coal-fired thermal power station, Hwange Power Station,  to add 600 megawatts (MW) to the national grid.

The undisputed fact is that  the expansion project will alleviate the country’s serious power shortages.

Currently, Zimbabwe’s power utility ZESA is producing about 1 000MW  at peak periods daily against a national demand of about 1 700MW .

To cover for the shortfall, ZESA imports electricity from regional power utilities especially Eskom of South Africa and Hydro Cahora Bassa of Mozambique.

All being said and done, the great environmental question is, are we sensitive and sincere to work on reduction of  greenhouse gases emission as a country?

In the 21st Century, I think it will be pertinent and prudent for authorities to be environmentally sensitive before  starting any developmental project.

A thermal power plant such as Hwange, produces huge quantities of carbon gases, which contributes to the  increase of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.

Zimbabwe is among countries grappling with the effects of erratic rainfall patterns, receiving normal to below normal rainfall which require urgent environment mental sensitive attention.

A big thermal plant such as Hwange Power Station produces a lot of sulphur dioxide gas, although technically it is not carbon gas. It can form sulphuric acid in the atmosphere which subsequently causes acid rains with serious negative impacts in the ecosystems.

To worsen the emission of greenhouse gases, in SADC Zimbabwe is one of the countries recording alarming levels of deforestation.

According to the Natural Resource Governance and Environmental Management Agency, almost   300 000 hectares of forests are destroyed annually, meaning that Zimbabwe is in the top 10 countries with high desertification levels in Africa.

These forests which are being destroyed at such alarming rates means that our atmosphere  will have excessive carbon gases because there will be few trees to absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and release it through respiration, which negatively affect our atmosphere and lead to climate calamities we are witnessing today.

The honourable thing which Zimbabwe has to do is to move away from thermal power generation and embrace renewable energy sources as our environment is facing biting vagaries of climate change.

Instead of investing in thermal power stations, Zimbabwe should seriously contemplate putting more efforts in renewable energy.

I understand and agree that Zimbabwe as a developing country has not significantly emitted greenhouse gases as compared to first world countries, but it is honourable for us to maintain low levels of emissions which we already have by discouraging expansion or building of new thermal power plants.

Our authorities should implement and harness the renewable energy potential which Zimbabwe has.

According to the National Renewable Energy Policy, Zimbabwe has a solar radiation potential of 16 to 20 MJ/m2 /day which is lying idle.

The country has significant small hydropower potential in the Eastern Highlands.

One good example is Chipendeke and Himalaya Micro Hydro power plants in Manicaland Province which the government was supposed to invest in and promote as alternative sources of energy.

Zimbabwe is estimated to have the capacity of  producing 150MW from small hydropower plants.

According to the latest  International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) report, Zimbabwe has the  potential to create 1 000MW from biomass in the form of bagasse, agricultural and municipal waste, and forest residue.

The IRENA report went further on to provide that forest residue from commercial forests in Zimbabwe has been estimated at 70 000 tons which has the potential to generate 150 MW .

The National Renewable Energy Policy document of 2019 shows that solar, micro hydro power plants, biomas, geothermal and wind have the capacity of producing about 1 355MW which is  more than the  additional 600MW Hwange Power Station will produce, at the same time posing danger to our climate and environment.

While we are switching to renewable energy for the sake of our climate and environment, we should keep our emissions  lower as a country.

It should be a national policy, or statutory obligation to shun any furtherance use or expansion of thermal power plants in the country.

Zororai Nkomo is a Zimbabwean journalist, lawyer and environmental justice activist. He writes in his own personal capacity. He can be contacted on zoronkomo@gmail.com.