Modern Ghana
Government, G8 Leaders Must Act on Climate Change
The world
today is fraught with continuous climatic changes which are seriously
affecting the environment, economies and lives, especially the poor in
the society. These climatic changes have resulted in series of
earthquakes, hurricane, drought and floods which has killed and
rendered millions of people jobless and homeless.
In view of the
continuous threat it poses to the world, it has started receiving
international attention. It has become one of the major issues of
discussion among the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations and,
dialogue between developed and developing countries have already begun.
The world's primary international agreement on combating global warming
is the Kyoto Protocol, an amendment to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) negotiated in 1997. The Protocol
now covers more than 160 countries globally and over 55 percent of
global greenhouse gas emissions. Scientist have affirmed the warming of
the climate system and linked it to human activities. This is justified
by the increase in the average surface temperature by about 0.6 C.
The
relentless fight against poverty and inequalities is beginning to seem
impossible because of the unending threats of climate change across the
world. Poor people depend disproportionately on the environment for
their livelihoods. Climate change is a threat to these livelihoods and
intensifies the impact of other environmental threats and hazards and
exposes those who mostly depend on environmental resources namely the
poor, indigenous people and women to greater deprivation and economic
risk. It has a negative effect on growth through more frequent and
intensive environmental stress and disaster. It reduces productivity
and diverts resources, which could otherwise be spent on development
investment. Many community groups and ethnic minorities lack a voice in
the management of shared resources and have little security of tenure
over land, forests, fisheries and natural resources. This has resulted
in conflict in some areas.
In Ghana and other developing countries, millions of the world's
poorest people are already being forced to cope with the impacts of
climate change. These impacts do not register as apocalyptic events in
the full glare of the world media attention. They go unnoticed in
financial markets and in the measurement of the world Gross Domestic
Product (GDP).
However, increased exposure to drought, intense
storms, floods and environmental stress is holding back efforts of the
world's poor to build a better life for themselves and their children.
In the last three decades, about 22 countries in Africa have been
affected by flood and 1.5 million people have been displaced, whilst at
least 300 people have been killed.
People living at the start of
the 22nd Century will live with consequences of our emissions just as
we are living with the consequences of emissions since the industrial
revolution. For instance for the first half of this 21st Century the
world in general, especially the poor will have to live with climate
change to which are already committed.
The Secretary General
of the United Nations in his special contribution in the 2007/08 Human
Development Report acknowledged that "we are beginning to see these
catastrophes (of climate change) unfold. As sea levels rise and
tropical storms gather in intensity, millions of people face
displacement. Dryland inhabitants, some of the most vulnerable on our
planet, have to cope with more frequent and more sustained droughts.
And as glaciers retreat, water supplies are being put at risk".
It's for this reason that the coalition is using this day to launch the Global Day of Action on Climate Change.
Unfortunately
Ghana as a country is not doing much to halt the continuous depletion
of the ozone layer. Very rare do we hear of any discussion on climate
change by the leadership of this country. The consistent human
activities in the industrial areas, emission of greenhouse gases, bush
fires, felling of trees and the discovery of oil which will lead to the
establishment of more oil refineries puts Ghana in a more dangerous
position in the coming years.
The recent flood that hit the
Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Western Regions in September 2007
revealed the nations vulnerability. The following were the statistics
that were recorded by the Ministry of Interior with regards to the
flood;
Number of deaths - 56
Number Displaced - 331,360
Houses Destroyed – 34,919
Roads Damaged - 655
Farmlands Destroyed - 46,851
Dams & Bridges Destroyed - 140
The
economic, health and social cost of this flood was so enormous that
donor agencies, philanthropist and companies had to come in to support
the victims.
Climate change is a challenge that needs to be
addressed now to reduce the risk it poses to the youth of today and
generations unborn. The future generation of this country stands
directly in harm's way and they have the least resources to cope.
The Coalition and signatories to the Banners on Climate are using this day to demand that;
•
The Government of Ghana sets up an independent secretariat to work on
climate change. Lobby the G8 to be accountable to the commitments made
at Tokyo (2008) to take strong leadership in combating climate change
and implement decisions taken in Bali as the foundation for reaching a
global change (UNFCCC) by 2009.
• Government and the G8 pursue
technology agreements and related initiatives that will lead to large
emissions reductions and to the adoption of appropriate and sustainable
farming methods.
• Government undertakes an independent
research work on climate change and use research findings to influence
policy formulation.
• Raise public awareness of the problem of
climate change and build public support for climate policies through
the implementation of an effective climate change communication
strategy. Build public support for climate policies that will enable
the world to meet the objective of limiting global average temperature
rise to 2°C above pre-industrial levels. These communication activities
should have sufficient funding and a consistent message, including the
case for the 2°C objective, sustained over the long-term. Such
activities should also be combined with supportive policy measures
which enable the public to take action.
• The EU and other
developed countries fulfill the "political declaration" they made at
the seventh conference of the parties to the UNFCCC in Marrakech in
2001, to provide $450 million (US) a year, mostly for adaptation.
•
Stabilize our atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases at
350ppmCO2e (ultimately returning to pre-industrial levels). Annexe I
countries must commit to reducing their emissions by at least 40% by
2020 vs. 1990 levels
Dramatically increase adaptation funding
through the UNFCCC (not the World Bank or IMF) and this must be in
addition to existing aid commitments. Equity is key.
REDD must
be first and foremost a mechanism for forest protection and climate
stabilization, not off-setting and profit-generation for Annex-1
countries. It must guarantee the security of land and property rights
of local and indigenous peoples.
Kenneth Nana Amoateng
Abibimman Foundation
Ghana National Youth Coalition on Climate Change ( GNYCCC)
P.O.BOX BT 1 Tema
Flat 1/A 74 Site 3
(OPP T.DC),Commmunit 1
Tel# 022213918
Mob# 0244023651
Tema-Ghana/African
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