Story By: Mabel Adorkor Annang
Exporters of inefficient and used appliances like air conditioners have been urged to adhere to standards regulating cooling appliances.
This is to aid in achieving Net-Zero goals, reduce consumer costs, and end the dumping of such products in Africa.
The call was made on the sidelines of COP28 when the Energy Commission of Ghana took its turn at a panel discussion with other stakeholders on preventing inefficient appliances with obsolete refrigerants.
The widespread sale of less-efficient appliances, many with obsolete refrigerants, across the world is a severe threat. These appliances exacerbate climate change, strain energy grids, and increase energy costs for consumers.
Actionable solutions must be provided to resolve dumping through policy and trade interventions. This, when thoroughly carried through, could reduce a billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the next 25 years and slash consumers energy bills.
The panel discussion organised by CLASP highlighted the importance of these exporters acquiring and complying with stringent standards covering cooling appliances.
Director of Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Climate Change at the Ghana Energy Commission, Mr. Kofi Agyarko, mentioned dumping and the regulatory framework as key issues that must be dealt with.
“Over the years, Africa has become very attractive to obsolete cooling equipment. In fact, it has almost turned the cooling appliance market in Africa into a market of lemons.
If I say market of lemons, it means that we have too many bad products that are trying to chase away the good products from the market. So at the end of the day, you have the kind of market that is toxic.”
Senior Director at CLASP, Mr. Bishal Thapa, urged manufacturers to comply with the agreements they signed up to help attain Net-Zero.
Lauren Bocher, a representative from Clasp, said, “the key thing is Governments need to really amplify the pace at which standards have been set. And also raise the ambition and make sure that ambition matches where we need to go.”
Ghana has always been a victim of dumping, despite strict interventions to eradicate the dumping of inefficient cooling appliances.
