Stakeholders have been urged to walk the talk by moving from climate pity to climate partnership to invest in Africa’s climate future.
The Minister of State in charge of Climate Change and Sustainability, Issifu Seidu, made the call in a statement delivered on his behalf by the Technical Director at the Ministry, Cedric Dzelu, at the Climate Forward Summit in Accra.
He said that although Africa contributed less than four per cent to global greenhouse gas emissions, it remains one of the most vulnerable regions to climate impacts.
Climate change
The statement also said that Ghana, like many African nations, continues to face the harsh realities of climate change, “including disrupted rainfall affecting smallholder agriculture, saltwater intrusion along coastal zones, frequent urban flooding and rising temperatures that threaten public health and food security”.
It stressed that these conditions demanded a cohesive national response and support for cleaner, greener, more resilient development models.
Commitment
On behalf of the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, the Director of Human Resource Management, Brenda Laryea Adjapawn, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the global energy transition agenda through its Renewable Energy Master Plan, which aimed to increase renewable energy’s share to 10 per cent by 2030.
She said the ministry also aimed to foster innovation, strengthen regional partnerships and implement actionable policies to promote sustainable infrastructure and a sustainable future for Africa.
She, therefore, urged stakeholders to focus on key areas such as land restoration, nature-based solutions and transitions in the extractive sector to accelerate progress towards a sustainable and climate-resilient future.
Collective effort
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Implementers, Kafui Pebbie, said the climate clock was ticking and required urgent, collective ownership from all actors.
He stated that agriculture, energy, infrastructure, mining, and small businesses, which were the pillars of the country’s economy, faced increasing risks from climate change.
“These realities that face us demand that national policies, our corporate strategies together and our community actions as non-profits speak with one voice and drive real progress on the ground,” he said.
The CEO said implementers had already taken steps by planting over 800 trees as part of their climate contribution.
He said the summit would become an annual movement to rally stakeholders across West Africa.
Summit
The summit, organised by a not-for-profit project management organisation, Implementers, aimed at ending siloed approaches and promoting solidarity in climate action to prevent further deterioration of the continent’s ecosystem.
The event, held at the GIMPA Executive Conference Cemtre last Thursday, July 31, this year, brought together participants from agriculture, extractives, energy, and civil society to discuss the interconnected impacts of their activities and seek common solutions to environmental challenges.
