Rwanda has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling air pollution and safeguarding the ozone layer through new investments in green technologies and emissions monitoring, Environment Minister Dr. Bernadette Arakwiye said Tuesday.
She made the remarks on September 16, as Rwanda joined the world in marking the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. The national event was held in Kanombe Sector, Kicukiro District, drawing government officials and environmental partners.
Dr. Arakwiye said Rwanda has introduced advanced technology to test vehicle emissions and identify heavily polluting cars, part of efforts to reduce harmful gases in the atmosphere.
“Rwanda is investing in clean air. This new program allows us to measure emissions more accurately and support drivers to adopt cleaner practices,” she said.
The minister stressed that Rwanda’s efforts build on international commitments, including the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol, global agreements credited with protecting the ozone layer.
Rwanda has also partnered with ACES Cooling, a training and knowledge-sharing platform operating across Africa. Arakwiye said the collaboration reflects Rwanda’s leadership in promoting ozone-friendly solutions, energy efficiency, food security, and climate resilience.
Researcher Jean Rémy Kubwimana, who studies ozone layer recovery, said global actions such as tree planting, clean transport, and air quality monitoring are yielding results. “The ozone layer is healing because countries took coordinated measures,” he said.
Juliet Kabera, Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), noted that Rwanda has positioned itself at the forefront of clean air policy on the continent. “We are committed to investing in green technologies and working with partners through initiatives such as ACES Cooling,” she said.
As part of public engagement, REMA had earlier organized the first-ever Race for Clean Air on September 13 at Nyandungu Eco-Park. The event brought together students, families, and communities for a morning of fitness and awareness-raising, underscoring the role of everyday actions in protecting Rwanda’s air quality.
Under the second phase of the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), Rwanda aims to cut air pollutants by at least 38% between 2024 and 2029. The government estimates this will translate into 4.6 million tons of reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The Paris pact, signed by Rwanda in 2016, seeks to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, ideally to 1.5 degrees.
