Member of Parliament for the Tema Central constituency in the Greater Accra region, Yves Hanson-Nortey has underscored the significant role of communication for Ghana in her quest to transition to clean energy in the wake of climate change and its impacts.
According to him, stakeholders such as Climate Communication and Local governance-Africa (CCLG-Africa) must collaborate with central government in sensitizing the public about the dangers posed by climate change and to help attract the necessary funding from the donor community for the country’s energy transition agenda.
Mr Yves Hanson-Nortey who is also the Vice Chairman of Parliament’s select committee on Environment, Science and Technology made the call during a stakeholders in climate communication strategic meeting held in Accra.
“ This cannot be done by the government alone. Stakeholders such as Climate Communication and Local governance-Africa must augment the governments’ efforts in public sensitization on climate change” he stated.
According to the Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis report (2020), cereal production in the country is expected to plummet by 7% within the next few decades, partly as a result of climate change.
Given that over 60% of Ghana’s power supply is hydro-generated, the continuous dissipation of water bodies as a result of global warming could wreak havoc on the power-generating capacity of the country hence the need to transition to other sustainable sources of energy.
The Tema Central lawmaker therefore emphasised the need for citizens to be educated through effective communication on the climate menace and the challenges that comes with energy transition and funding as the country prepares for the 27thConference of the Parties (COP 27) in Egypt later this year.
He expressed disappointment that COP26 failed to meet its objective of setting best practices to ensure global average temperature does not exceed 1.5°C by 2030 and to mobilise the needed funding for developing countries to tackle their energy transition needs.
The MP urged donor countries to explain to their citizens why they must contribute to help developing nations mitigate the impact of climate change since it is to their own survival as the bigger emitters.
Hon Hanson-Nortey also called for an all hands on deck approach with greater commitments which are transferred to action as priorities backed with budgets rather just having expectations in tackling the climate change menace in order to save the world.
“Unless discussions are transferred as a priority to national budgets and parliaments and then explained and democratically supported, it will be difficult to create specific action plans with well-defined targets and associated robust resources.
The effect of climate change may result in a veritable “tragedy of the commons”. Therefore, it behoves us to not only have expectations as a country but also exhibit a commitment to ensuring that the earth is saved from the harmful effects of climate change” he concluded. The stakeholders in Climate Communication strategic meeting was on the theme: “Climate Communications: expectations before, during and after COP 27”
President of CCLG-Africa, Mr Kofi Don-Agor, disclosed that the meeting coincides with the one year anniversary since the inauguration of the association on August 2, 2021 to champion issues relating climate change through communication at the local level.
according to him, until ordinary people living in rural communities appreciate the enormity of the challenge posed by climate change and contribute towards the fight, little can be achieved.
Mr Don-Agor challenged all stakeholders including members of CCLG-Africa to maximize their efforts in order to make the needed impact.
