The Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development at the Vatican, Rome, Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, made this known in Cape Coast on Saturday, November 24, 2018.

 Solar project

Cardinal Turkson was inaugurating a 30 megawatt off-grid pilot phase of the solar project for the Cape Coast Secretariat of the Catholic Archdiocese.

The project was initiated by St Mathew Cape City Foundation, in collaboration with Solar Utility Network Acting Ghana Limited (SUNACT).

It is expected to be replicated in all Catholic Dioceses to empower the communities to reduce the carbon footprint for a cleaner environment.

Carbon emission

Cardinal Turkson expressed worry over how carbon was thrown into the atmosphere without consideration to its effect to the environment, saying "our existence is under threat if we don't explore a renewable source of energy."

He said although the African continent was greatly affected by climate change, those affected had least or no knowledge about the phenomenon.

He said the church was also exploring the use of solar oven in the preservation of fish in Sekond-Takoradi, adding that if that project was successful, it would be extended to Cape Coast and other fishing communities.

"This is what is being encouraged and this will soon be replicated in all fishing areas.

It is important to reduce carbon footprint to sustain human lives," he said.

He noted that the condition of the country's climate would increase until we took measures to reduce carbon footprint.

Cardinal Turkson underscored the need for Ghanaians to change their mentality about the luxury of driving V8s and advocated the maintenance of the vegetation, as well as the riding of bicycle as a way of protecting the environment.

A Clean Climate Consultant, Mr Given Wiklund, expressed the optimism that the project would help reduce emissions in the system.

The Chief Executive of SUNACT, Mr Francis Asante, will provide services to empower communities and businesses.