Malian Civil Society Alert: Adulterated Fuels Contribute Significantly to Greenhouse Gas Emissions

A study conducted by a Swiss agency reveals that adulterated fuels imported into Mali by oil operators have a sulfur content 378 times higher than the European standard. This alarming situation, with serious repercussions for public health and the environment, has sparked a strong reaction from the Malian civil society.

Civil society leaders, concerned about the health of citizens and the quality of the environment, have organized an advocacy workshop to develop recommendations and raise awareness among authorities and the population.

The study highlights the adverse consequences of these poor-quality fuels on air pollution, citizen health, and their increasing contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Despite these risks, regulatory authorities appear indifferent, allowing the sale of these non-compliant fuels to persist in gas stations.

Faced with this inertia from authorities, Malian civil society has decided to take action by organizing advocacy efforts to denounce the situation to both authorities and oil companies in the country. The objective is to raise awareness and alert about the negative impacts of these fuels on health, the environment, and the national economy. Furthermore, calls have been made to strengthen quality controls on imports and take drastic measures to put an end to this harmful practice.

Malian civil society also plans to establish a monitoring committee to ensure the implementation of the recommendations issued during this advocacy initiative.

Justine Akolatsey