abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb
Article

2 Dec 2016

Author:
Public Eye

West African countries to reduce sulphur standards by the factor 60 to 200

See all tags

Yesterday‘s meeting convened by the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) in Abuja, Nigeria, saw major steps towards the improvement of fuel quality in West Africa. Following Ghana’s announcement in November, Nigeria, Benin, Ivory Coast and Togo also announced to lower sulphur limits for imported diesel to 50 ppm (parts per million). The controversy caused by Public Eye‘s «Dirty Diesel» report has led to yet another important step towards cleaner air in African cities. In the Netherlands, the city council of Amsterdam has called for a ban on the production and export of fuels containing harmful substances. Environmental and Energy Ministers from Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo, as well as representatives from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) attended the meeting in Nigeria’s capitol. The public pressure generated by the massive media coverage on «Dirty Diesel» as well as the campaigns by Public Eye’s partner organizations have led  the above mentioned countries to announce the reduction of sulphur levels for imported diesel to 50 ppm. In Nigeria, the current limit is 3,000 ppm, in Togo it is even 10,000ppm. Being Africa’s largest fuel market by far, Nigeria’s move is likely to trigger improvements in other West African countries...

Timeline