Ms Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Science and Environment
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2nd September, 2011
MEST Holds Confab On Climate Change
An International conference to enhance climate change as a key aspect of the West African sub-region countries agenda is underway in Accra.
The high level meeting is being attended by 80 experts and negotiators who would brainstorm on global negotiations to enrich the African group position with focus on the development and implementation of the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) Adaptations on Climate Change.
The three-day capacity building workshop is being organized by the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
NAMA is an innovative concept proposed during the course of negotiations, adaptation and mitigation on climate change by developing countries to join the global effort aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the joint but differentiated responsibility established by the United Nations Convention on Climate Change.
Apart from Ghana and Nigeria the remaining 13 countries in the sub-region are yet to present proposals on the NAMA concept, hence the meeting to study the two countries proposals before the African continent hosts in Durban, Johannesburg in December the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
In an address, Mr. Edward Nsenkyire, chairman of the Ghana chapter of the National Climate Change Committee, expressed worry about the inability of countries in Africa to cope with the current climate change viability as well as with the medium and longer-term impacts of projected changes.
He observed that “climate change increases the vulnerability of poor people by adversely affecting their health and livelihood and undermining growth opportunities, which are crucial for poverty reduction”.
Mr. Nsenkyire cautioned that without taking actions now to adapt to climate change it may be difficult to achieve some of the Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015 and beyond since African countries are likely to suffer the most from the negative impact due to their capacity to adapt.
In an address read on his behalf, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, deputy minister of Environment, Science and Technology, urged African governments to adopt the Measurement, Reporting and Verification concept, which gives information regarding the implementation of national climate actions and their international support to develop effective policies.
He said Ghana submitted 55 NAMAs to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change in 2010 as part of its response to associate with the Copenhagen Accord, stating broad mitigation topics, but few details since it is unlikely that all NAMAs could be implemented in the short term.
Dr. Kamil Kamaluddeen, UNDP Country Director in Ghana, said the Programme had mobilized an additional 6.4 million dollars to support climate change activities in the country including opportunities ahead for collective and collaborative efforts that may slow down the process of climate change.
Mr. Jeremy Webb, Head of the African Climate Policy Centre, Ethiopia, lauded the efforts of developing countries for voluntarily taken NAMAs measures in order to reduce their emissions in conformity with the provisions in the Convention although they are the least providers, the concept and legal framework are yet to be developed.
Mr. Daniel Amalalo, acting Executive Director, EPA, in an address read on his behalf, tasked the experts and negotiators on climate change to ensure capacity development is an integral part of enhanced action on mitigation, adaptation, technology development and transfer and access to financial resources.
The high level meeting is being attended by 80 experts and negotiators who would brainstorm on global negotiations to enrich the African group position with focus on the development and implementation of the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) Adaptations on Climate Change.
The three-day capacity building workshop is being organized by the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
NAMA is an innovative concept proposed during the course of negotiations, adaptation and mitigation on climate change by developing countries to join the global effort aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the joint but differentiated responsibility established by the United Nations Convention on Climate Change.
Apart from Ghana and Nigeria the remaining 13 countries in the sub-region are yet to present proposals on the NAMA concept, hence the meeting to study the two countries proposals before the African continent hosts in Durban, Johannesburg in December the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
In an address, Mr. Edward Nsenkyire, chairman of the Ghana chapter of the National Climate Change Committee, expressed worry about the inability of countries in Africa to cope with the current climate change viability as well as with the medium and longer-term impacts of projected changes.
He observed that “climate change increases the vulnerability of poor people by adversely affecting their health and livelihood and undermining growth opportunities, which are crucial for poverty reduction”.
Mr. Nsenkyire cautioned that without taking actions now to adapt to climate change it may be difficult to achieve some of the Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015 and beyond since African countries are likely to suffer the most from the negative impact due to their capacity to adapt.
In an address read on his behalf, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, deputy minister of Environment, Science and Technology, urged African governments to adopt the Measurement, Reporting and Verification concept, which gives information regarding the implementation of national climate actions and their international support to develop effective policies.
He said Ghana submitted 55 NAMAs to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change in 2010 as part of its response to associate with the Copenhagen Accord, stating broad mitigation topics, but few details since it is unlikely that all NAMAs could be implemented in the short term.
Dr. Kamil Kamaluddeen, UNDP Country Director in Ghana, said the Programme had mobilized an additional 6.4 million dollars to support climate change activities in the country including opportunities ahead for collective and collaborative efforts that may slow down the process of climate change.
Mr. Jeremy Webb, Head of the African Climate Policy Centre, Ethiopia, lauded the efforts of developing countries for voluntarily taken NAMAs measures in order to reduce their emissions in conformity with the provisions in the Convention although they are the least providers, the concept and legal framework are yet to be developed.
Mr. Daniel Amalalo, acting Executive Director, EPA, in an address read on his behalf, tasked the experts and negotiators on climate change to ensure capacity development is an integral part of enhanced action on mitigation, adaptation, technology development and transfer and access to financial resources.
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