The country of a thousand hills is developing a carbon policy to create a carbon market.
In Rwanda, climate change is considered one of the top three most likely causes of future poverty, because the majority of Rwandans rely on subsistence farming.
So Rwanda’s National Strategy for Economic Development and Poverty Reduction (2008-2012) highlights the importance of developing a carbon market. The Rwandan government ratified the Kyoto Protocol in July 2004, and believes that a carbon market will give Rwanda an opportunity to implement environmentally friendly projects and achieve sustainable development.
Lake Kivu: methane
Although Rwanda’s greenhouse gas emission levels are low, the country is developing quickly and believes there are many opportunities for carbon credit projects, particularly in the areas of energy and forestry:-
- hydropower
- micro hydropower
- solar electricity
- solar water heating
- methane from Lake Kivu
- bio-gas recovery from agriculture and wastewater
- energy efficient cookstoves
- energy efficiency in buildings
LINKS: The Rwanda Environment Management Authority
