Ghana Climate Champion Kofi A. Agyarko Awarded 2023 Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award for Environmental Justice
California, 22 October 2024 - Mr. Kofi Adu Agyarko from the Ghana Ministry of Energy has earned the prestigious 2023 Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award for Environmental Justice. The award will be presented October 24th in Sacramento, California, at the Board of Directors meeting of the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Mr. Kofi Agyarko has been a leader in energy efficiency and energy conservation policies and programs in Ghana for decades. His expertise and impact transcends international borders. Mr. Agyarko has worked tirelessly to advance energy efficiency initiatives that benefit both people and the planet. These efforts include the fight against international trade practices of environmental dumping, in which wealthy nations export cheap consumer products—including refrigerators and air conditioners with obsolete and climate-damaging refrigerants—to poor and developing countries. The high cost of electricity for inefficient cooling punishes owners who can ill afford the environmental, financial, and other burdens of such appliances. See full bio, Kofi Agyarko - Ghana Energy Commission.
The Haagen-Smit Award is California’s premier award recognizing individuals who have made outstanding contributions to improving air quality or addressing climate change.
Considered the “Nobel Prize” in air quality achievement, the Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards are bestowed each year upon just four individuals selected worldwide who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of clean air through education, research, policy, or environmental justice work.
"It is no surprise to the Montreal Protocol community that Kofi has earned the prestigious Haagen-Smit Award for Environmental Justice. Kofi was among the first to speak out against the dumping in developing countries of cheap inefficient cooling appliances using obsolete ozone-depleting and climate-warming refrigerants. Over many years, he has worked tirelessly from the Ghana Ministry of Energy to persuade Parties to the Montreal Protocol how important this strategy is for ozone and climate protection, as well as for affordable cooling. Kofi’s leadership is helping avoid new dependence on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in new cooling equipment, and speeding implementation of the Kigali Amendment to phasedown HFCs. This Award is well earned for Kofi’s contribution to this and future generations."
Durwood Zaelke, President Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development
"The Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) congratulates Kofi for winning the Haagen-Smit Award for Environmental Justice! Kofi has been championing the fight against the environmental dumping of old and new inefficient cooling equipment that often contain ozone and climate-damaging gases to vulnerable nations especially to Africa, leading to adverse impacts to the environment, increased energy costs in households and energy insecurity in the countries. The CCAC is pleased to support Ghana Energy Commission for capacity building activities on the implementation of Ghana's anti-dumping policies, and through our Cooling Hub, hope to continue working closely with Kofi and other like-minded countries and advocates to increase access to the most environment-friendly and best performing cooling appliances as well as promote sustainable cooling approaches and behaviours globally"
Martina Otto, Head of Secretariat Climate & Clean Air Coalition
"Kofi Agyarko fully deserves the high honor of the Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award for Environmental Justice. He is a genius at thinking through how to stop the dumping of inefficient cooling equipment with obsolete refrigerants to developing countries. Such equipment uses excess amounts of electricity, and burdens economies of households, firms, and national economies of developing countries by requiring additional investments in electricity grids (often using world’s strongest climate gas SF6 in switchgears to change voltage) and unnecessary power plants, using fossil fuels. Furthermore, bad quality equipment with their obsolete refrigerants are released from dumped equipment to the environment causing pollution locally and impacting global warming and ozone depletion.
Kofi tirelessly and adamantly brought his and ideas of his colleagues into fruition. I witnessed the Decision XXXV/13 of the Montreal Protocol to ban dumping of this equipment, first proposed by Ghana on behalf of all of Africa to get approved after heavy negotiations, in which Kofi had a significant role. The decision immediately motivated European Union Regulation 2024/573 prohibiting the export of certain used and new equipment containing or relying upon climate-harmful fluorinated GHGs.
Another measure of the influence of Kofi's Stop Dumping Team is the 'Call to Action on Extreme Heat' by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres spotlighting the importance of stopping the dumping in developing countries of new inefficient cooling appliances with obsolete refrigerants. I am proud to work with Kofi and expect great success in the days and years ahead."
Tapio Reinikainen, Chief Specialist Climate Solutions, Finnish Environment Institute
“On behalf of the CLASP team, I extend the heartiest congratulations on this tremendous accomplishment. You are a shining example of solution-centered leadership that prioritizes the wellbeing of people and the planet. I admire your tenacity in your mission, and your resolve to leverage energy efficiency and anti-dumping measures to improve lives. The world is a better place because of your passion for positive change. Congratulations on this well-deserved accolade, Kofi.”
Christine Egan, Chief Executive Officer, CLASP
"Congratulations to Kofi Adu Agyarko for his selection for the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Haagen-Smit Clean Air Environmental Justice Award, presented on 24 October 2024. The Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award is considered the "Environmental Nobel Prize" recognizing Atmospheric Champions who have made outstanding contributions to improving air quality or addressing climate change. As a longtime insider of the Montreal Protocol, I am a witness to what can be accomplished by Kofi and other leaders like him with a passion for Earth, academic and on-the-job training, and the ambition for excellence. Kofi, on behalf of all of Africa, introduced the first proposal for the Montreal Protocol to stop the dumping of inefficient cooling appliances with obsolete refrigerants and with the support of many Article 5 Parties worldwide perfected that into the unanimous 2023 Decision of shared responsibility of exporters and importers in introducing sustainable cooling at affordable life cycle cost. Bravo Kofi! Bravo Montreal Protocol! Hope for the current and future generations!"
Marco Gonzalez, Senior Advisor, Montreal Protocol Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) and Montreal Protocol Executive Secretary (2002-2013)
