By Patrick Ofoe Nudzi/Stanley Senya
Accra, Feb. 01, GNA – Dr Antwi Boasiako Amoah, Acting Director, Climate Vulnerabilities and Adaptation, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), says Ghana needs to institutionalise dedicated funding to solve challenges associated with climate change.
He said the threats of climate change were cross-sectoral and to make it financing dependent on international support was inimical to the country’s growth and development.
“Climate financing in this country has largely been on international donations and such mobilization of funds is not sustainable. Can we continue this as a country, it is obviously no.”
Dr Amoah said this during a workshop organised in Accra by the Youth Climate Council, Ghana, on the theme: Post COP 27 Debriefing Session to discuss how the COP 27 outcomes could be leveraged to support the ambitions and aspirations of Ghanaian youth.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, he said funds from the international community had gradually dwindled particularly in the current global economic crisis, resulting in some climate funded projects not upscaled or replicated in other parts of the world.
“We need to understand these financing mechanisms at the international level, so that domestically, we can mobilize funds and package ourselves to address the problems because there’s a thin line between development and climate change,” Dr. Amoah said.
He said: “I do not know of a dedicated finance earmarked for adaptation or mitigation. We cannot say that we ‘re waiting for international funds to be able to address a community that has been flooded along the coast in Ghana. We need to take our development seriously.”
Dr Amoah said stakeholders, including the Ministry of Finance had developed the Ghana Green Fund which had been at Cabinet for approval.
He called for a law to bring all climate initiatives together with a legislative instrument, prescribing specific allocations.
Madam Priscilla Efua Nyamekye Appiah, Research and Policy Officer, Youth Climate Council (YCC), said the workshop presented opportunities to know the interventions that Ghana was rolling out, and the opportunities that were available for the youth.
“We need to do ambitious things to mitigate climate impacts, we need to contribute our quota as youth to help save and safeguard our communities here,” she said.
Miss Nyamekye Appiah said the government must commit resources in building the capacity of the youth and support them in purchasing green cookstoves, using plastics to create beads and other items.
Miss Margareth Impraim, Capacity Building and Education Officer, YCC, called on the youth to embrace climate change issues and take active steps in bringing the needed changes.
“At the global level the youth are making changes for their countries, and we need to do the same. We intend to have some programs this year to help break down climate change issues into local languages,” she said.
GNA