By Buertey Francis BORYOR
The 7th African Evidence to Action (E2A) conference aiming to discuss innovative research and practical solutions for climate change challenges in Africa came to a close in Accra on July 26, 2024.
The five-day E2A 2024 was organised by the International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED) in collaboration with the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana; Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Markets, Risks and Resilience at the University of California, Davis; and the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI).
It was on the theme ‘Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation’, exploring linkages and synergies between resilience and climate change adaptation – two key concepts essential for addressing the impacts of climate change, especially in Africa. It commenced with pre-conference sessions starting from July 22 to 23, 2024 and the main conference was July 24 to 26, 2024.
Topics deliberated on included Intersectionality and Climate Justice, New Approaches to Resilience Measurement and Evaluation, Youth and Climate Action, Climate Smart Agricultural Innovations, Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance, and the Circular Economy.
Director of Communication and Policy Engagement at ICED-Ghana and the conference coordinator, Seth Kugblenu, speaking during the event’s closing ceremony highlighted some of the key points and proposed actions to be taken. They are as follows: Resilience and climate change adaptation are critical issues today, as we face the challenges of a changing climate.
Proposed action: Therefore, there is a need increase utilisation of evidence-based research to protect our communities, environment and future.
Also, adaptation efforts must have a grassroots and community focus.
Proposed action: This way, communities can be empowered to actively participate in creating frameworks for climate change adaptation, rather than merely receiving policies. Local leaders and civil society organisations must play a crucial role in this process.
Another key point was that technology and innovation are vital for enhancing adaptive capacity.
Especially technologies related to early warning systems, irrigation and other areas must be fully explored to serve needs of the vulnerable. African researchers should be poised/encouraged to lead efforts aimed at solving problems, using evidence to promote climate change adaptation.
Inadequate inclusion and participation of beneficiaries in the climate change value chain must also be encouraged. This calls for evidence-based decision-making to be inclusive – it should include the underserved in society such as the disabled, women, and youth, who are all working on climate change adaptation.
Products designed for adaptation must include input from beneficiaries to ensure acceptance of the climate change adaptation strategies.
Others are development plans must be better structured and effectively communicated in African countries, inadequate collaboration or partnership between researchers, policymakers and other actors, resilience alone is insufficient – farmers, Researchers, donor partners, policymakers, journalists, youth groups, women and politicians, among others, must raise awareness and outline comprehensive capacity building and engagement plans to mitigate climate change, involving collaboration across all sectors and finally , members of parliament should be actively involved in evidence-based conferences to stay informed about climate change developments, so that they can in turn take the message to their constituents.
Dr. David Ameyaw, President and CEO-CED, emphasised the conference’s importance: “Climate change is not just an environmental issue but also a profound challenge to economic stability and social equity in Africa. This conference brings together diverse stakeholders to share research, innovations and strategies that can drive effective action and build resilience in our communities”.
Prof. Peter Quartey, Director of ISSER adds: “As we face the growing impacts of climate change, it is imperative to ground our responses in robust research and collaborative efforts. At ISSER, we firmly believe in maximising efforts through research and partnership”.
Meanwhile, Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Lydia Seyram Alhassan – who was the event’s special guest, in a remark said her ministry launching the Transformational Pilot Project in the country – which put searchlight on harnessing Greenhouse gases and mitigation opportunities in the solid waste management sector – has served as a tangible example of how evidence-based strategies can be translated into impactful actions that benefit communities across Africa.
