By Dennis Peprah, GNA
Sunyani, April 8, GNA – AbibiNsroma Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation, has called on policymakers, leaders, and individuals to recognise the urgency of the climate crisis and its direct impact on public health and improve the nation’s adaptation and mitigation measures.
A statement issued and signed by Mr Robert Amiteye, the Convener, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), further advocated for urgent action that recognised the intrinsic link between fossil fuels, climate change, and public health.
It said this was in solidarity with the annual commemoration of the World Health Day (WHD) which is on the theme: “My Health, My Right.”
The WHD is celebrated on April 7, every year to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948, to highlight a global public health priority area of concern.
The statement said the foundation remained committed to identifying, promoting and empowering grassroots to develop innovative solutions for the developmental challenges in Ghana and Africa.
“Together, we can forge a sustainable path, ensuring that our right to health is preserved through the choices we make for our planet,” it said.
The statement said, “As we advocate for a just transition away from fossil fuels, we emphasize that the right to health is a fundamental human right that is deeply affected by our environmental choices.”
It noted that the burning of fossil fuels had long been a major contributor to air pollution, which poses significant risks to cardiovascular and respiratory health among populations worldwide.
By shifting towards renewable energy sources, the world could mitigate these health risks, safeguard communities, and uphold the right to a healthy environment, it added.
The statement stressed the transition to clean energy was not only an environmental imperative but also an economic opportunity.
It indicated that green technologies offered the potential for new jobs and industries, driving forward a sustainable economy that benefitted everyone, and investing in this conceptual knowledge meant supporting in the health and well-being of all citizens, now and for future generations.
It said the present decisions would shape the health and environmental legacy that would be left behind; hence the nation must choose a path that led to sustainable and equitable future, where every individual could breathe clean air, drink clean water and live on a healthy planet.
GNA