ANTALYA, Türkiye – Rwanda has called for greater investment in green industries, arguing that climate action can also drive economic growth, attract investors and create jobs.
Speaking at COP31 on Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Dr Justin Nsengiyumva said green industrialisation offers Rwanda an opportunity to address climate change while accelerating its economic transformation.
He pointed to a national programme that saves more than 30,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, equivalent to taking about 6,500 cars off the road.
He also urged development partners and financial institutions to move beyond pledges and form practical partnerships that share investment risks.
The Prime Minister spoke at a high-level dialogue titled “Seizing the Green Industrial Opportunity: Investment, Jobs and Growth for Every Economy”.
He delivered the remarks on behalf of President Paul Kagame.
Climate action and economic growth
Prime Minister Dr Justin Nsengiyumva is leading Rwanda’s delegation to COP31 including Environment Ministe Bernadette Arakwiye (left), Amb Lt Gen Rtd Charles KAYONGA – Rwanda’s envoy in Türkiye, and Teddy Mugabo, Rwanda Green Fund CEO
Nsengiyumva said green industrialisation serves two important purposes for Rwanda. It helps address the climate crisis while opening opportunities for economic growth, investment and decent jobs.
He said Rwanda’s ambitions are guided by the Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy, Vision 2050 and its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0).
Together, these frameworks set out the country’s plans to build a low-carbon economy that can also withstand the effects of climate change.
Priority sectors for investment
Rwanda sees opportunities in renewable energy, clean cooking, electric mobility, sustainable agriculture, the circular economy and sustainable cooling, the Prime Minister said.
Many of these sectors are also among the priorities of COP31, linking Rwanda’s development plans to the wider global effort to accelerate the green transition.
Savings equivalent to 6,500 cars
The Prime Minister cited Rwanda’s Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Programme as an example of how green industrialisation can deliver financial returns while reducing emissions.
The programme has helped industries and small and medium-sized enterprises save more than 41 million megajoules of energy and cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by over 30,000 tonnes.
That reduction is equivalent to the annual emissions of approximately 6,500 passenger cars, using the US Environmental Protection Agency’s estimate of 4.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide per car each year.
Rwanda’s estimated fleet of 120,000 cars means the emissions reduction is comparable to taking about 5% of the country’s vehicles off the road. This is an illustration based on the emissions comparison, not a claim made by the Prime Minister.
The programme has also generated USD 6.5 million (Rwf 10 billion) in net savings from an investment of USD 5 million.
The figures show how cleaner production can help businesses reduce operating costs while lowering their environmental impact.
Cooling and the Kigali Amendment
The Prime Minister also identified cooling as an important area for investment, as demand for cooling services continues to grow worldwide.
He pointed to the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol as an example of how climate action can support industrial development.
Full implementation of the amendment could prevent up to half a degree Celsius of global warming by 2100, while creating jobs in manufacturing, equipment servicing and cold-chain services.
He called for its full ratification and swift implementation.
Rwanda has already established a foundation for investment in the sector through its National Cooling Strategy, minimum energy-performance standards and financing mechanisms, he added.
A call for shared investment risks
The Prime Minister said expanding green industries would require governments, development partners and financial institutions to share investment risks.
He identified blended finance, concessional loans, guarantees and carbon finance as important tools for making green industrial projects financially viable and attractive to investors.
He urged development partners and financial institutions to move “beyond commitments to practical partnerships” that produce measurable economic, social and environmental benefits.
