The Director for Climate Change at the Forestry Commission, Roselyn Fosuah Adjei, has indicated that the country intends to focus on how to raise more funds as it prepares to participate in the Conference of the Parties (COP 28), which is set to take place in Dubai later this year.
She made mention of this in an interview with journalists during the opening ceremony of the Ghana Garden and Flower Show (GGFS) at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park, where she explained that the money will be used to implement the National Determined Contribution (NDC) strategies as well as various climate mitigation and adaption measures.
In addition to finance maximisation as the country’s focus at the conference, she noted that Ghana is also bent on capitalising on the themes – nature, agriculture, food systems and food sustainability. “As we go to COP 28 in Dubai, what we are really looking forward to is how we can maximise enough finance to come and implement our NDC strategies. That’s the National Determined Contribution. How can we implement all those different mitigation measures? That is our focus for going to Dubai in December,” she revealed.
COP is the main decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and it includes representatives of all the countries or parties that are signatories to the UNFCCC. It assesses effects of the measures introduced by the parties to limit climate change. This year marks the 28th edition of COP, hence the name COP 28.
Being strategic ahead of the conference is key, she said, adding that many discussions takes place at the conference; hence if the country fails to be strategic, it is likely to go and come back as it went.
Also, as a keynote speaker for the ceremony, Ms. Adjei will speak on the theme ‘Preserving ecosystems, the role of environmental conservation and the reforestation initiatives for climate action’, wherein she highlights the outcomes of work done by the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology together with other sectors in relation to the NDC, as well as the mitigation and adaptation measures.
“Ghana’s national and determined contributions pulled out of five sectors: energy, agriculture, waste, transport and forestry and land use. It comprises 34 mitigation measures to achieve 64 million tonnes of emission reductions. The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation led this, and all sectors that are relevant to the discussion have come up with their numbers and the measures needed to achieve those numbers. In addition to the mitigation measures, we also have 13 adaptation measures because mitigation is preventing adaptation; is it is already here – what do we do?” she said.
For his part, the Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Political Section, European Union (EU) in Ghana, Jonas Claes, mentioned that considering the dire impact of climate change on the human race, the required transition to a shift to more environmentally friendly production and consumption is crucial – adding that the transitioning presents some challenges and opportunities, such as sustainable jobs and businesses, especially, for the youth.
In her opening remarks, Communications Manager for Strategic Communications Africa Limited (Stratcomm) Sharon Anim stressed impacts of the GGFS promoting gardening among individuals, and its enormous contribution to economic growth.
“We started with 14 exhibitors and 1,400 visitors patronising the show in 2013. In 2022 we had about 28,000 visitors. These visitors have been inspired by the GGFS to plant and cultivate personal gardens. As they plant, they are contributing to environmental sustainability. Some are growing their floriculture-related businesses, generating employment and contributing to national economic growth,” she recalled.
She described the theme for GGFS 2023 – ‘Green Fusion, collaborating for climate action’ – as a call to action and a collective responsibility to combat climate change.
This year’s GGFS ran from August 30 to September 3, 2023 and was replete with activities such as ‘green to riches’, a youth conference, a gardening master-class for adults and a music night, among others.
GGFS is an initiative of Stratcomm Africa and a flagship event of the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement (GGFM).
