Accra, Oct. 11, GNA- Ghana and the Republic of Marshall Islands have expressed commitment to work together to address the climate crisis ahead of COP-27 in Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt later this year.
The two countries made the commitment when Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation of Ghana and Mr John Silk, Minister of Natural Resources and Commerce of the Republic of the Marshall Islands met in Accra to discuss the importance of actions to address the climate crisis.
This was in a statement signed by the Ministers and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
The Ministers agreed on the importance of ambitious outcomes on adaptation, loss and damage, mitigation, and timely finance if the COP was to deliver results, especially for developing and vulnerable communities across the world.
The Ministers discussed the critical importance of adaptation as a national priority for both countries as well as the urgency of the release of accessible climate finance.
The Ministers also discussed the importance of funding to address loss and damage, already being experienced in both regions.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands convenes the High Ambition Coalition, an alliance of the world’s most climate-ambitious nations, both developing and developed, while Ghana is currently the chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a global partnership of countries that are disproportionately affected by climate change.
Though both Ghana and the Republic of the Marshall Islands have no historical responsibility for the climate crisis, the two have resolved to provide effective climate leadership.
Dr Afriyie said, “it would be unwise of us to say that we are not responsible for the climate problems, and not do anything to help it, since the boat sinks with all of us.”
“We look forward to continued work with the Republic of the Marshall Islands to make progress on the interconnected issues of reducing emissions, adapting to build resilience in the face of the climate crisis, and addressing loss and damage without delay.
“We must also ensure continued environmental protection of both our unique territories, both the seas that sustain us and the land, which we hold in trust for all of mankind.”
Mr Silk said: “We arrived in Ghana when the impacts of the climate crisis were made clear through the recent flooding for, which we give our prayers to the people of Ghana, who have offered us generous hospitality even in this difficult time.”
GNA