Baseline assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from the health care system in Mauritania
Context
Mauritania, among the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, faces the widespread impacts of climate change across its economy, ecosystems, and communities. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. In its updated nationally determined contribution (NDC), submitted in September 2021, Mauritania pledged to reduce GHG emissions by 11% by 2030 compared to a business-as-usual scenario, using domestic resources and international support comparable to that received up to 2020. With greater support, this target could increase to a 92% reduction.
The Ministry of Health in Mauritania is committed to contributing to national climate goals, as outlined in the country’s nationally determined contribution (NDC), by developing a climate-resilient, sustainable, and low-carbon health system. However, a key obstacle remains: the lack of data on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the public health system, which is critical for designing an effective decarbonization plan.
To address this gap, the Ministry of Health has requested technical assistance from the Climate Action Africa (CAA) project. This support will help assess emissions and lay the foundation for a decarbonization plan for the health sector.
Goal of TA
The technical assistance aims to undertake a baseline assessment of public health system greenhouse gas emissions (EEGES-S) for a given year to understand the emissions landscape related to the sector and its supply chains. The technical assistance will be carried out using an approach that will enable the Ministry to sustain this exercise in the future, using its resources.
CAA Technical Assistance
The technical assistance requested through this initiative will be supported by Enviro Consulting International who will conduct a baseline assessment of GHG emissions from the public healthcare system (EEGES-S). This effort aligns with the Ministry’s long-term vision for a sustainable and resilient health sector.
More specifically, technical assistance will include these activities, among others:
- Mainstreaming gender equality, promoting the active participation of women in climate action and governance, from operational roles to decision-making.
- Align with national frameworks such as the National Health Policy 2030, the National Health Development Plan (2021-2030) and the National Strategy for Accelerated Growth and Shared Prosperity (SCAPP 2016-2030), all of which emphasise the importance of gender inclusion in development efforts.
- Revision of the relevant framework for the initiative and submission of a training plan.
- Calculating emissions. This involves identifying the parameters for calculating the sector’s emissions, including activity data and emissions factors.
- Capacity building of the team through two training sessions.
