Chad – Black carbon inventory development

Phase I – Black Carbon Inventory Support – Ongoing 

Following the commitment by Chad to develop black carbon emission inventories at the CCAC High Level Assembly in Marrakech, our SNAP Initiative has supported the Ministry of Environment, Water and Fishing to develop an integrated emissions inventory of greenhouse gases, air pollutants and SLCPs. This project aims to understand the contribution of sectoral emission sources, continuously update information as it became available, and serve as a basis for future recommendations for integrated mitigation measures related to air pollution and climate change. 

To begin this process and to enhance capacity for the project, Chad participated in a LEAP-IBC training workshop in August of 2018 with the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), to gain an increased understanding of SLCP emission sources and the co-benefits of mitigation.  

Emission data was collected from national data sources, including the Third National Communication to the UNFCCC, as well as from relevant sectoral Ministries and Agencies. International data sources were used to complement these data in cases where more information was required. As a result of these activities, and using the LEAP-IBC tool, the Integrated Inventory for Short-Lived Climate Pollutants, Atmospheric Pollutants, and Greenhouse Gases: National Emission Estimates for 2005-2016 was finalized in March of 2020. The inventory includes 11 pollutants including all those that contribute to the formation of PM2.5 and Ozone, the two most damaging pollutants for human health, as well as carbon dioxide, black carbon, and methane. 

Inventory results indicate that emissions contributing to air pollution and climate change are largely derived from the same sources in Chad, including open waste burning, residential wood combustion, and Savannah burning. Moreover, fugitive petrol emissions were identified as the primary source of SLCPs, greenhouse gases, and atmospheric pollutants.  

The results of the emission inventory has enabled the Ministry of Environment, Water and Fishing of Chad to develop a series of recommendations for the integration of climate change and air pollution planning. These include integrating SLCP and air pollutants into greenhouse gas inventories, National Communications on climate change, ongoing emission mitigation analysis for climate change planning, and long-term mitigation strategies.  

Situated in Central Africa, Chad is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, from droughts, flooding, and widespread food insecurity. At the same time, levels of air pollution that exceed World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines remain a threat to the health of a population of over 15 million people particularly in more densely populated areas such as the capital city of N’Djamena. In 2017, it was estimated that 13,329 deaths had been associated with atmospheric pollution, 7,848 of them among children under 5 suffering from respiratory infection.