A new report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has warned that pollution linked to production can act as a negative drag to development process in Nigeria and 12 other African nations.
A new UNCTAD report, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), looks at how export-oriented production and manufacturing in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia can be more sustainable through better controls and circular economy approaches.
As countries in these regions accelerate efforts to become more productive, they also need to mitigate against negative impacts on the environment and human health brought by production linked to manufacturing sectors.
The report identifies the role of trade and value chains in driving manufacturing pollution in 13 nations. These include Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
UNCTAD economist and one of the report’s authors, Henrique Pacini, said: “The trade-growth-pollution nexus has been increasingly underlined in trade policies and treaties worldwide, putting pressure on nations to improve environmental standards and reduce adverse effects,”
“Environmentally sound production not only tackles the problem at source, improving both ecosystems and the health of exposed workers and populations, but also matters for competitiveness and market access abroad,” he said.
This is why, the report argues, it’s critical to understand the impacts of current practices, so focused interventions and improvements can be made, particularly in the SMEP countries.
Director of Instituto 17 and the report’s coordinator, Alessandro Sanches-Pereira, said the pollution impacts were measured using two “system boundaries” – a cradle-to-gate view, considering value-addition at both upstream and midstreams; and a gate-to-gate one, factoring in only the midstream.
“The results give us a unique view on the different types of pollution from export-oriented manufacturing, as well as their environmental impacts, which will help companies and nations manage their negative impacts,” he said.
Within the manufacturing sector, the report identified two key polluting industries as the most likely to threaten the environment and human health in the regions: Food and beverages in sub-Saharan Africa and textiles and wearing apparel in South Asia.
Environmental impacts linked to manufacturing sectors in the analyzed countries involve atmospheric emissions, soil contaminants and water discharges. For example, wastewater from textile mills has caused a huge pollution problem in developing countries.
Health impacts from both direct exposure or indirect environmental contamination could involve both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects. Many chemicals used to make textiles cause health problems and textile effluent is linked to illnesses that reduce life expectancy and productivity.
The report emphasizes that SMEP countries should invest in sustainable manufacturing to not only to meet global demand for more sustainable production and exports but also for their own good.
UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, said: “It is fundamental that production and exports from developing countries occur in a sustainable way. This is key to ensure enduring competitiveness in world markets increasingly aware of the environmental imperative,”
The study also identifies the main public and private environmental governance opportunities to achieve more sustainable production linked to trade.
