Democratic Republic of Congo - Black carbon inventory development

Boulevard du 30 juin, Kinshasa, DRC. Photo: MONUSCO/Myriam Asmani

Workstream:

Institutional strengthening support and training

Ongoing

started:

2018

The Democratic Republic of Congo is taking ambitious action to tackle the challenges of climate change and air pollution simultaneously in view of their development imperatives. The Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development is working with the Supporting National Planning (SNAP) Initiative to develop and build an integrated emission inventory of greenhouse gases, SLCPs and air pollutants. This work is paving the way for informed policy making and emission reduction strategies that will ultimately direct in-country benefits for health and development goals.

Situated in Central Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, from rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, increasing food insecurity, extreme weather events and infrastructure damage. At the same time, levels of air pollution that exceed World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines remain a major health risk particularly in urban centres such as the mega-city capital of Kinshasa, home to over 11 million of the 84 million people living in the DRC. These threats include breathing problems, chronic diseases and premature mortality, and are caused predominantly by polluting sectors including household energy, waste, agriculture and land-use.

Objectives

The SNAP Initiative provided technical assistance and funding to the Democratic Republic of Congo with the objective of developing an integrated inventory of air pollutants, greenhouse gases and short-lived climate pollutants.

What we're doing

Phase I – Black Carbon Inventory Support – Complete

In 2018, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development expressed interest in working with the Supporting National Planning (SNAP) Initiative to develop an integrated emissions inventory of greenhouse gases, short-lived climate pollutants and air pollutants. This work was launched with the intention of including SLCP and air pollution mitigation in the DRC’s 4th National Communication under the Paris Agreement.

To advance this project, the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) provided technical support to develop an inventory using the LEAP-IBC model, and through regional workshops and regular online discussions.

A draft integrated emission inventory of greenhouse gases, SLCPs and air pollutants report was drafted and is pending endorsement by the Ministry.