Accra, June 30, GNA – Ghana has joined 22 other commonwealth science academies urging their leaders to work together to address the interlinked challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and health.
Emeritus Professor Samuel Sefa-Dedeh, President of Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, in a press release to the Ghana News Agency, said: “The interlinked challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and health are urgent matters that require the attention of all nations.”
Professor Sefa-Dedeh gave recommendations on Commonwealth governments working together in developing roadmaps to reach net-zero carbon emissions, monitoring and sharing critical science data to help prevent future health pandemics as well as tackling the impact of climate change.
The other recommendations he gave include ensuring environmental threat to biodiversity was discussed in decision making, addressing the impact of climate change on the oceans and rising sea levels, and addressing the unequal impact of global health and environmental challenges on most vulnerable countries.
The call for joint action to build a sustainable and resilient recovery from the pandemic was made in a letter from the science academics to Commonwealth Secretary-General Baroness Patricia Scotland and comes in the week that Commonwealth heads of government were due to meet in Kigali, Rwanda, but postponed due to COVID-19.
Commonwealth Secretary-General is due to lead both COP15 in October and COP26 in November where Commonwealth leaders are expected to play key roles in international regulations on environment and climate policy.
Commonwealth is home to nearly a third of the world’s population and ranges from G7 countries to developing countries that are among the hardest hit by both COVID-19 and climate change.
GNA