The Ghana National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) has launched the National Action Roadmap, a locally designed ambitious plan that provides a clear set of actions for Ghana to achieve zero plastic leakage into oceans and waterways by 2040. The Roadmap, which seeks to radically reduce plastic pollution in Ghana, was developed with data and insights from consultation with 150 leading national experts and informed by scenario analyses based on tools from the ‘Breaking the Plastic Wave’ report by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

It is currently estimated that Ghana generates around 0.84 million tonnes of municipal plastic waste each year – a total that is growing by 5.4% annually.  Strict adherence to the recommendations laid out in the National Action Roadmap can help the country reduce plastic leakage into oceans and waterways by 84% under the realistic system change scenario, while zero plastic leakage can be achieved under the ambitious system change scenario by 2040.

In the keynote speech read on behalf of Honourable Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, the importance of the National Action Roadmap was emphasised, which he said identifies and maps multiple actors across the plastic value-chain to specific recommendations as drivers of those actions while highlighting the need for collaboration across the value chain to enable a system change necessary to establish a circular economy. “Indeed, to a large extent, NPAP has succeeded in delivering on its mandate due to the active participation, buy-in, ownership and support of the global and national stakeholders. The launch today of the NPAP Action Roadmap is a key milestone in the execution of NPAP’s mandate”, he added.

Kristin Hughes, Director of the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP), on her part, said, “GPAP is thrilled to be part of the journey with Ghana’s public and private sector and civil society partners, to pave the way for Ghana’s journey towards circularity and eradicating plastic pollution in the marine environment and other water bodies by 2040. The National Action Roadmap approach is unique in addressing existing inequalities in the plastics value chain and directly benefits the individuals and communities involved through multi-stakeholder and inclusive steps.”

Ghana’s economic growth has coincided with a significant increase in the consumption of plastic products, especially single-use plastics, and consequently an increase in plastic waste. The launch of the National Action Roadmap affirms the commitment of stakeholders in the Ghanaian plastics value chain to collaborate in setting a regional model for sustainably managing plastics and transitioning to a circular economy.