When one hears of 350 Ghana Reducing Our Carbon (350G-ROC), the first thought that comes to mind is “that’s the group that campaigns on the promotion of access to renewable energy in Ghana”. But would you believe me if I’d told you that 350G-ROC actually led a campaign on stopping a coal-fired power station a few years ago?

In 2013, Shenzhen Energy Group of Chine approached the Ghanaian government with a proposal to build a 700 MW coal-powered station in Ekumfi District, Central Region of Ghana. This information led to 350G-ROC and partners such as the Ghana Youth Environment Movement (GYEM) launching the Price of Pollution campaign calling on the Ghanaian government to put a stop to this project.

 

 

Three years later, the campaign successfully managed to convince the Ghanaian Ministry of Energy to agree to phase out the project. Responding to questions from journalists at a press briefing on October 10th 2016, the Minister of Energy outrightly said: “having gone to deposit our instrument of ratification of the Paris Agreement, we will not come back home and be permitting coal plants. Be rest assured that nobody has permission to build a coal power plant”.

Following this great win, 350 G-ROC and partners launched another campaign – the Renewable Energy for Communities campaign (RE4C) in 2017 – this time to get the Ghanaian government to commit to investing in renewable energy as a solution to Ghana’s energy challenges. The campaign also runs awareness actions on the benefits of renewable energy. 

 

 

350 G-ROC has never looked back since. The group continues to champion for a 100% renewable energy Ghana. They have organized numerous events to push for renewable energy and recently launched a campaign project targeting five districts of Accra. 

Just like 350 G-ROC, the AfrikaVuka platform is organising webinars to put a spotlight on other groups across Africa exposing the fossil fuel and finance industry’s role in accelerating the climate crisis. Click here for more information.