Challenges of monitoring and developing environmental policy in Sub-Saharan Africa : the case of air pollution and biofuels in Ghana

There has been an increasing concern about the state of air quality in many cities of the developing world, especially within an African context. This situation has arisen because of rapid population growth and its attendant increase in vehicle ownership, increased use of solid fuels for cooking and heating, and poor waste management practices (see Figure 1). Industrial expansion is also a major contributor to the deteriorating level of air quality in these cities (Arku et al 2008; Amegah & Agyei-Mensah 2017). Consideration should then be made to the environmental issues associated with the growing demand for natural resources, such as mineral and biofuels. The exploration of these resources demands strong and supportive environmental policy, with a “firm legal, regulatory and institutional framework” to ensure that national development does not hamper the environment and ultimately negatively affect the populations of African countries (Mabogunje 1988; Mpakati-Gama et al 2011). Effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms need to be put in place to reduce emissions from increased vehicle ownership as well as clean energy use.