By Stanley Senya
Accra, Mach 27, GNA – Mrs Eunice Asiedu, Programmes Coordinator, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Economic Competence Centre, has urged the government to prioritise environmental sustainability in the development pathway to prevent grave toll on livelihoods and environmental crisis.
This will ensure the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
She said economic development trajectories across the globe had led to massive destruction of the environment, the current climate crisis and the continuous degradation of the environment had compounded the situation.
Therefore creating a dialogue among stakeholders and building synergy across institutional divisions would ensure sustainable environmental practices.
Mrs Asiedu said this at the launch of the Ghana Environment Manifesto which was on the theme: ¨Creating Prosperity For Ghanaians While Ensuring Environmental Sustainability And Ensuri Intergenerational Equality¨.
She said this could be done by strong political will, key institutions and grassroots mobilisation to achieve environmental conservation.
She urged political leaders to urgently centre their environmental sustainability at the centre of their agenda.
Mr Daryl Bosu, Deputy National Director, A. Rocha Ghana, speaking on the environment manifesto said the Civil Society Organisation (CSO) on Environmental protection would ensure the government prioritise the manifestos outlined towards the 2024 elections.
The environment manifesto included the land sector, oil, gas and energy, water and sanitation, forestry, climate, marine, biodiversity and mining sectors.
He said the CSOs would show proactiveness and ensure a positive outcome for a resilient environment.
He said whichever party wins this year’s election would ensure the full implementation of the manifesto.
Mr Bosu said over the past years the national budget did not prioritise ecosystem services and allocated a scanty budget to the environment sector.
He said the manifesto would be used to aid political parties in appreciating the need for environmental protection for healthy and generational living.
¨We are giving them a blueprint to look at, this is what we need for developmental growth¨.
Talking about the political will, he said CSOs would track and challenge political parties to ensure these manifestos are met.
The whole idea was to help the government understand the need for environmental protection for the attainment of the SDGs.
GNA