By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, Nov. 04, GNA – Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has urged environmental and natural resource stakeholders participating in this year’s Conference of Parties (COP 27) to make meaningful contributions towards minimising the effects of climate change.
The COP27 will come off at Sharm El- Sheikh, Egypt, from November 06 -18, this year, which would witness the gathering of eminent world leaders, policymakers, environmentalists, and key stakeholders to brainstorm on climate action plans to build a strong and resilient economies.
Speaking at a Pre-COP27 event in Accra on Thursday night, Mr Jinapor called on the stakeholders to rise and rally behind the Sector Ministry to promote forest best practices.
“We look forward to an even greater participation and contribution to global conference at Sharm El- Sheikh, Egypt, and let us join hands in solidarity to make COP27 a great success,” Mr Jinapor urged.
The Minister highlighted some important COP27 pre-event sessions, which would create a platform for stakeholders to share ideas and contribute to a discussion on Ghana’s expectations to build on the momentum garnered at the COP26 last year.
Meanwhile, Ghana has secured a pavilion at this year’s COP27 meeting through the support of the World Bank, the Partnership for Forest, and other stakeholders.
This would allow Ghana to showcase her climate action plans, woo investors, and have partnership engagements.
Mr Jinapor also appreciated the efforts and contributions of the United Kingdom government, which culminated in Ghana getting a pavilion for the first time during the COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, last year.
Mr Jinapor outlined some activities that would take place at the Ghana Pavilion during the COP27 and cited a side event to be hosted by the Office of the President.
There would be roundtable discussions on tropical forest ministerial meeting to be hosted by the Lands Ministry to deliberate on forest solutions to climate change.
Another key engagement at COP 27 would be Ghana’s participation in the Forest and Climate Leader’s Partnership (FCLP), an initiative by the Office of the President, to give steam to the Glasgow Declarations on Forest and land Use.
In that regard, the FCLP would create a platform for member states to scale up forest conservation and restoration actions to implement climate solutions and provide sustainable development.
Mr Jinapor added that the partnership would also provide a unique space for inter-governmental collaboration and coordinated action with partners and stakeholders.
Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo would join President Joe Biden of the United States, and other Heads of state and Governments at a Forests and Climate Leaders’ Summit, on November 07 in Sharm El-Sheikh, to officially open the FCLP.
The Lands Minister, averred that Ghana’s membership of FCLP was a testimony that the country’s efforts to accelerate emissions reductions had been recognised globally.
Mr Jinapor announced that by virtue of her membership of the FCPL, Ghana was set to receive some US$4, 862, 208 as an incentive package for reducing carbon in 2019.
The amount, he said, would be distributed according to a highly consultative and transparent benefit sharing plan.
The Minister explained that communities would realise the result of their immense contributions to reducing carbon emissions as they benefit from the package, which would boost their confidence in government’s climate interventions.
The Minister, therefore, challenged all stakeholders to scale up their forest and other nature-based emissions, especially in areas like agriculture, forest, and land-use activities.
Ms Harriet Thompson, the UK High Commissioner to Ghana, on her part, affirmed her support to Ghana towards organising a series of events on forestry during COP27 as well as selecting the country to play a leading role in the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership event, this year.
“Ghana will be represented at the UK’s Forest Agriculture Commodity Trade Dialogue to update on progress one year from its launch at COP26,” she said.
“There is also the Cocoa Forest Initiative event to mobilise action from global chocolate makers and cocoa companies, with the Government of Ghana taking part”, she stated.
Ms Thompson said Ghana’s annual deforestation rate was running at 3.5 per cent, with her forests under threat from agricultural expansion and illegal mining.
Therefore, she said, tackling the menace would require a huge, complex, and sustained effort, saying; “we must recognise how climate, poverty, and business interests interact both as part of the problem, and, ultimately, as part of the solution”.
The COP27 pre-event held at the Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel saw members of the diplomatic corps, foresters, representatives of the various ministries, departments and agencies, the business community, and the media in attendance.
GNA