Chad's Pollution Crisis: Understanding The Country's Environmental Challenges

Chad is one of the most polluted countries in the world, with air pollution posing a significant threat to the health of its population. The country's annual mean concentration of PM2.5 is 66 µg/m3, far exceeding the recommended maximum of 10 µg/m3. Air pollution in Chad is caused by various factors, including the oil, textile, and meatpacking industries, vehicle emissions, waste burning, and the use of wood and charcoal for energy. The lack of access to electricity and proper waste management practices further contributes to the pollution problem. Additionally, dust storms originating from the Bodele Depression in Chad are responsible for a significant portion of the dust swept across the Atlantic to the Amazon each year, impacting air quality. The effects of air pollution on human health are widespread and include short-term symptoms such as itchy eyes, nose and throat, wheezing, coughing, and long-term health issues such as lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic respiratory illnesses. To address these issues, Chad is working on developing an integrated emission inventory of greenhouse gases, short-lived climate pollutants, and air pollutants, with support from international initiatives.

Poor waste management

Chad is one of the poorest countries in the world, with over 54% of its population living below the poverty line as of 2003. This has contributed to severe environmental issues in the country. Chad's waste management activities exist only to a partial extent, and the country lacks policies and governance approaches to control pollution.

The composition of waste in Chad, which includes plastics, waste tires, and other organic and inorganic materials, coupled with the common practice of unregulated waste burning, has led to health-impairing emissions such as dioxins and furans. The uncontrolled burning of waste, especially in urban centers, is a significant contributor to the deterioration of air quality in Chad.

The country faces challenges in effectively managing waste and addressing the environmental and health impacts of waste burning. While some waste streams, such as municipal solid waste (MSW), are addressed by policies and institutions, there is a need to improve waste collection and treatment actions. This includes implementing the recovery of methane generated in managed landfills and promoting waste composting as part of a national integrated and sustainable waste management strategy.

Additionally, Chad relies heavily on wood and charcoal for energy, with only a small percentage of households using electricity. This has led to indoor air pollution, causing an estimated 9,600 premature deaths every year. The promotion of alternative sources of energy, such as non-grid/grid electrification, cleaner cooking fuels, and clean cookstoves, is crucial in reducing indoor biomass burning and improving air quality.

Furthermore, wastewater treatment, especially in urban areas, needs to be prioritized to ensure proper sanitation and reduce the pollution of water sources. Overall, Chad's waste management challenges are exacerbated by poverty, limited infrastructure, and a lack of comprehensive policies and governance approaches to control pollution effectively.

Unregulated waste burning

Chad is a country facing significant environmental challenges due to air and waste pollution. One critical factor contributing to this issue is the common practice of unregulated waste burning. This method of waste disposal has severe consequences for both the environment and human health.

The consequences of unregulated waste burning are significant. As waste materials are burned, they release harmful emissions into the atmosphere. These emissions include toxic substances such as dioxins and furans, which have detrimental effects on human health. The burning of plastics and inorganic materials contributes to the emission of particulate matter (PM2.5), with levels in Chad far exceeding the recommended maximum concentration. This particulate matter poses a severe risk to respiratory health and has been linked to an estimated 9,600 premature deaths annually in the country.

Furthermore, unregulated waste burning exacerbates air quality issues in urban centres. The emissions from waste burning interact with pollutants from other sources, such as vehicle emissions, the oil industry, and meatpacking industries, creating a toxic cocktail of pollutants. Chad's reliance on fossil fuels for electricity generation, with 100% of its installed capacity coming from fossil fuels, further compounds the problem. The lack of access to electricity, with only 2.2% of households connected, results in a dependence on wood and charcoal for energy, contributing to indoor air pollution and its associated health risks.

To address the issue of unregulated waste burning, Chad needs to implement comprehensive waste management strategies. This includes improving waste collection systems, promoting waste treatment methods such as landfill methane recovery, and implementing waste composting practices. Additionally, there is a pressing need for policies and regulations to control pollution, specifically targeting the open burning of waste. By enforcing emission standards for industries and vehicles, providing incentives for cleaner technologies, and promoting alternative energy sources, Chad can begin to mitigate the harmful impacts of unregulated waste burning on its environment and people.

Lack of access to electricity

Chad has one of the lowest electricity access rates in the world. Only about 6% of the population has access to electricity, with some sources claiming the figure is as low as 4% or even 2.2%. This is compared to an average of 48% access in Sub-Saharan Africa. The country's per capita electricity consumption is also one of the lowest globally, and its electricity tariffs are among the highest.

The low access to electricity in Chad is primarily due to a lack of infrastructure and technical capacity. Chad's electric grid is limited to N'Djamena, the capital city, and even there, it suffers from frequent outages. The rest of the country lacks a reliable power supply, with only 12% of households outside the capital having access to electricity. The National Electricity Company SNE struggles to meet the growing demand for electricity due to aging infrastructure and insufficient financing. As a result, power generation remains highly localized and dependent on fossil fuels, with 100% of the installed electricity-generating capacity being generated from fossil fuels in 2010.

The lack of access to electricity has significant implications for the country and its people. Firstly, it contributes to indoor air pollution, as wood and charcoal provide 90% of the energy consumed in Chad. This indoor air pollution causes an estimated 9,600 premature deaths every year. Secondly, the lack of electrification goes hand-in-hand with limited access to basic services such as drinking water, sanitation, and paved roads.

Recognizing the importance of electrification for economic growth and inclusion, the Government of Chad and partners like the World Bank are prioritizing expanding access to electricity. The Chad Energy Access Scale Up Project (PAAET) aims to increase electricity access from 6% to 30% by 2027, benefiting approximately one million households. This will be achieved through expanding the main power grid and mini-grids, deploying standalone solar systems, and improving cooking solutions. The project will also provide electricity to critical services, including approximately 850 medical centers and 700 schools, mainly in rural areas.

Industrial and vehicle emissions

Chad's pollution problem is largely due to industrial and vehicle emissions. The country's annual mean concentration of PM2.5 is 66 µg/m3, far exceeding the recommended maximum of 10 µg/m3. This is due in part to the burning of fossil fuels, which is the dominant source of CO2 emissions in the country. The energy sector, including power plants and vehicles, is a major contributor to these emissions.

The industrial production of materials such as cement also plays a significant role in Chad's air pollution. In addition to CO2, industrial processes release other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide, which have contributed significantly to global warming.

The agriculture industry is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in Chad, producing 82.3 million metric tonnes of GHG emissions in 2021, constituting 87.1% of the country's total. The second and third largest emitting sectors are land-use change and forestry, and energy, respectively.

Chad's energy landscape is dominated by fossil fuels, with oil, coal, and natural gas being the primary sources of energy for power generation, transportation, and industrial processes. Only 2.2% of households use electricity, with 90% of the population relying on wood and charcoal for energy. This has led to indoor air pollution, causing an estimated 9,600 premature deaths every year.

To address these issues, Chad is promoting non-grid/grid electrification, cleaner cooking fuels, and clean cookstoves. However, the country faces challenges in implementing these solutions due to a lack of policies and governance approaches to control pollution effectively.

Fugitive petrol emissions

The country's fugitive emissions industry produces a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions, constituting 6.3% of total emissions. This makes it the largest emitting sector in Chad. The second and third largest emitting sectors are building and transportation, emitting 1.06 million and 828,000 tonnes of GHG respectively.

To address these issues, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Fishing of Chad has developed a series of recommendations. These include integrating short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and air pollutants into greenhouse gas inventories, National Communications on climate change, ongoing emission mitigation analysis, and long-term mitigation strategies. Chad has also participated in a LEAP-IBC training workshop to enhance its understanding of SLCP emission sources and the co-benefits of mitigation. Additionally, the country is working with the Supporting National Planning (SNAP) Initiative to develop an integrated inventory of air pollutants, greenhouse gases, and SLCPs.

Despite these efforts, Chad faces challenges in adapting to climate change. The country ranks in the bottom 5% globally in terms of readiness, with a score of 0.191. While Chad shows strength in governance aspects, its economic performance requires improvement. The country's vulnerability to climate change is also a concern, with a score of 0.652, placing it in the bottom 1% category.

Overall, fugitive petrol emissions are a critical issue for Chad, and the country is taking steps to mitigate their impact and improve its resilience to climate change. However, more needs to be done to reduce emissions and enhance Chad's ability to adapt to a changing climate.

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