Govt reduces 1.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions

Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have cut 1.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions, equivalent to 36 per cent of the 4.4 million-tonne reduction target set for 2030 under the national climate action plan, according to the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA). The achievement is highlighted in the country's First Biennial Transparency Report, a reporting requirement under the Paris Agreement that tracks progress in reducing emissions, adapting to climate change, and mobilising climate finance. ALSO READ: Rwanda revises greenhouse gas emissions reduction target to 53% Reducing one tonne of carbon emissions prevents about 1,000 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, helping slow global warming and reduce the risk of extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and rising temperatures. Key mitigation measures in Rwanda included renewable energy, energy efficiency, climate-smart agriculture, and waste management, said Pearl Nkusi, Climate Actions Transparency Specialist at REMA. Agriculture remains the largest source of emissions, accounting for 39 per cent of total emissions, followed by energy at 18 per cent, waste at 13 per cent, and industry at 2 per cent. The report indicates that climate finance mobilisation has also progressed significantly, with 93.3 per cent of the 2020-2025 financing target achieved. Renewable energy now accounts for 51 per cent of the national energy mix, while forest cover has reached 30.4 per cent. ALSO READ: Rwanda Faces $7 Billion Funding Gap to Implement Climate Action Plan Adaptation gains Despite the progress, the country remains highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters, including floods, droughts and landslides. Between 2014 and 2023, disasters caused 1,595 deaths, injured 2,368 people, damaged more than 62,000 houses and destroyed 38,002 Enhanced Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement, he said. Athanase Mukuralinda, a senior scientist, called for stronger coordination among climate actors and development partners, noting that many communities remain vulnerable despite ongoing environmental initiatives. We should combine our efforts to increase resilience to climate change, improve livelihoods, and particularly provide more ecosystem services to communities, he said. ALSO READ: Rwanda unveils $11bn climate action plan Nkusi said the climate action plan includes 24 adaptation interventions aimed at reducing vulnerability. From 2018 to 2023, major adaptation achievements in the agriculture sector include anti-erosion measures increasing from 68 per cent to 92 per cent, while irrigation coverage doubled from 5 per cent to 10 per cent, she said. Irrigated land expanded to 71,500 hectares, while insurance coverage for crops and livestock also improved. Financing challenge remains The climate action plan initially identified an investment need of $11 billion by 2030, including $5.7 billion for mitigation and $5.3 billion for adaptation measures. Between 2020 and 2025, at least $4.7 billion of the required $5.1 billion was mobilised through the Rwanda Green Fund, international climate finance and other sources. A funding gap of $5.9 billion remains, especially for the post-2025 period, Nkusi said. She cited limited private-sector participation, data and reporting gaps, and capacity constraints among the key challenges. Overall, the report shows that a financing gap of $6.2 billion remains against the original $11 billion target. The investment requirement has since been revised to $12 billion through 2035, with funding expected from capital and carbon markets, blended finance mechanisms and domestic resources. Planned interventions include expanding renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and cleaner transport systems, promoting climate-smart agriculture, reducing industrial emissions, improving waste management and scaling up sustainable forestry programmes. The forestry component includes sustainable forest management on 42,652 hectares, afforestation on 47,300 hectares, agroforestry on 27,000 hectares, and the establishment of urban forests and parks on 2,100 hectares. The updated climate action plan seeks to cut emissions by 53 per cent, or 14.86 million tonnes, by 2035, up from the previous target of 38 per cent. No single institution can achieve these ambitions alone. Effective implementation will require stronger coordination, sustained partnerships, increased investments, and continued commitment from government institutions, local authorities, development partners, the private sector, civil society, academia, and communities, said Thadée Twagirimana, Acting Director General for Environment and Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment. Faustin Munyazikwiye, Deputy Director General of REMA, said the Biennial Transparency Report demonstrates commitment to transparency and evidence-based climate action. It demonstrates the progress made in implementing climate commitments while strengthening our reporting obligations under the Enhanced Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement, he said. Mukuralinda called for stronger coordination among climate actors and development partners, noting that many communities remain vulnerable despite ongoing environmental initiatives. We should combine our efforts to increase resilience to climate change, improve livelihoods, and particularly provide more ecosystem services to communities, he said.

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Govt reduces 1.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions