Why religion could be Africa’s best tool to fight climate change
Religion is the food, soul and spirit of many in Ghana and Africa. Regardless of what religion they belong to, Ghanaians show the fondest love and reverence for religion. Others may take religion differently from the act of worship of God, god or a superbeing but none matters to the ordinary Ghanaian.
On Sundays and other special days of worship for the various religious groups in the country, total reverence is shown and people from other countries who are not used to the act often get bemused when they arrive in Ghanaian cities and realize that shops do not open on Sunday. The reason is, that it is a holy day and the people are keeping the commandment of God which says “remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8).
I am not writing a religious story but I am seeing a gold mine in religion that Ghana and Africa at large could use to create something more valuable than gold: the environment. Climate change is a global problem and though Africa is contributing just between 2-3 per cent to climate change, it is the region that is most vulnerable. So if there was someone who should be seriously concerned about climate change, then Africa should be that someone but in this case that region. At least 100 million livelihoods are at risk of extreme poverty and in Sub-saharan Africa, the gross domestic product could be reduced by three per cent by 2050. This is basically because Africa relies heavily on agriculture and for that matter rain-fed production. A reduction in the rain would lead t food insecurity, poverty and population displacement. Already, estimates show that over 400 million Africans live below the poverty line which means they live on less than $1.90 per day. So any form of change aside from an upward adjustment is disastrous.
One factor that the International Food Policy Research Institute said would contribute to rising prices of food is climate policies change. Most African countries are already experiencing unpredictable rainfall patterns and are averaging low rainfall each year. The net effect is reduced output in food production which means the supply chain would need to be able to respond strongly but that is likely to be possible due to the widespread effect. It is not confined to just one region or country where the others who have sufficient stock could come in the mitigate the effect. That will impoverish people even more and the current numbers living below the poverty line would expand, child malnutrition will rise and lives will be lost as well.
A research report by the Centre for Environmental Law (CIEL) revealed that “At current levels, greenhouse gas emissions from the plastic lifecycle threaten the ability of the global community to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C degrees. By 2050, the greenhouse gas emissions from plastic could reach over 56 gigatons—10-13 per cent of the entire remaining carbon budget.” Plastic has also been established as one of the most greenhouse gas-intensive industries in the manufacturing sector and also the fastest growing. That means if the world should have a chance to stop slowing it down, it needs to start now and Africa and Ghana must join the campaign not just as cheerleaders but as a continent and country playing an effective frontline role.
As of 2020, 1.9 billion adults were overweight and 462 million children were underweight. Both extremes are forms of malnutrition. With the situation already high and about 45% of child deaths under 5 years attributed to undernutrition mostly occurring in low-developed countries, African countries have a worry on their hands. And that can be mitigated through a collective fight against climate change.
How does religion come in?
With the majority of Africans so addicted to religion, religious leaders could be vital leaders in the fight against climate change. Most African countries are noted for filth in their cities and towns. Much of the filth is plastic. Ghana has been suffering from the growing volumes of plastic in the cities for years. In 2022, the national capital, Accra experienced multiple floods that claimed lives and properties worth millions of Cedis. Most of the floods are caused by choked gutters.
If the leader in the church or mosque who enjoys maximum respect from their congregants can take up the message and propagate it in their places of worship it would have a strong effect. If they make the conscious effort to let the worshippers know that God loves a lean environment and wants the earth He created to be protected, the congregants will definitely embrace the word and implement it. Imagine a church as large as the Catholic church, or Methodist or Presbyterian making a pledge to encourage its members to use recyclable packaging material instead of the one-time use of plastic, what would be the effect if even half of the congregation buys into the idea? We would be saving the streets off nearly half of the volume of plastic waste that is fed to the environment.
Plastic contributes to greenhouse though much of its pollution is seen in the choked drains and those that cover beaches and the ocean. However, as plastic is exposed to sunlight it releases methane and ethylene and with the rapid breakdown of plastic into tiny pieces, there is a rapid increase in those two compounds. Just about 16% of plastic is recycled globally with the remaining going to dumping sites or ending in the streets. So religious groups that basically have influence over the majority of the population would be very essential in this.
In April 2022, the Christian Council of Ghana made the bold call for churches to be eco-friendly. Rev. Dr Cyril G. K. Fayose, General Secretary of the council said, “every dimension of God’s creation is being ruined under our watch. The forests are depleted, our water resources are becoming polluted, wildlife, climate patterns and sanitation are in shambles”. That was a really apt description of the destruction caused to the environment by a population that is majorly believers but cannot pledge to keep the creation of their maker beautiful as the creator is.
The onus lies on the leaders of the religious groups to preach the gospel of reservation of the earth. God commanded that man should produce and fill the earth and man is producing but what happens to the unborn generation when we remain irresponsible and they come to meet earth which is ravaged by harsh climate conditions? Pope Francis who is the leader of the Catholic church has been vocal on actions against climate change. “Climate change is a problem which can no longer be left for a future generation,” Pope Francis. That bold call when backed by action and joined by other groups would be a game changer and it is something Ghanaians and Africans should embrace and march together to fight as the other parts of the world also do their bit to mitigate the effects.
Every member can take a step and make an effort to keep their environment clean, plant a tree to replace the one that has been cut down. Little drops they say make an ocean and this fight against the impending effects of climate change goes beyond just religious groups and their leaders but at least that is a unique group that we can trust their commitment to the fight if they really want to do it.
