Stakeholders have urged African countries to protect and restore nature to reduce the effects of climate change and protect people’s livelihoods.
They said activities such as illegal mining, deforestation and pollution were destroying the environment and making it harder for communities to cope with the effects of climate change.
The call was made at a panel discussion at the Africa Climate Dialogue in Accra yesterday on the theme: “Scaling Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Resilience, Green Growth and Just Transition in Africa”.
The dialogue brought together policymakers, technical experts, academics, civil society organisations and private sector representatives to explore practical ways of integrating Nature-Based Solutions into Ghana’s sustainable development agenda.
The event was organised by the Africa Centre for Nature-Based Climate Action (AC4NCA) a
civil society organization dedicated to promoting
nature-based solutions through policy advocacy,
research, environmental education, governance, and youth-led climate action
Addresing the gathering, the Deputy Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Mr Richard Gyan-Mensah, said forests, wetlands, mangroves and other natural ecosystems played important roles in addressing climate change, protecting biodiversity and supporting livelihoods.
He said forests absorbed carbon dioxide, wetlands helped reduce flooding, while mangroves protected coastlines against erosion and provided breeding grounds for fish.
“We must recognise the value of nature and protect it because our livelihoods and future depend on it,” he said.
He explained that the destruction of these ecosystems threatened the livelihoods of people who depended on farming, fishing and other natural resources.
Mr Gyan-Mensah urged African countries to invest in forest restoration, wetland protection, mangrove rehabilitation and sustainable agricultural practices to strengthen their response to climate change.
He said the interventions must go beyond policies and discussions to produce practical results in communities.
“Our efforts must move beyond discussions and policies to actions that bring real benefits to the people in our communities,” he said.
He also stressed the need to involve local communities in decisions concerning the management and conservation of natural resources.
He said providing sustainable livelihood opportunities for people who depended on those resources would encourage them to protect the environment without losing their sources of income.
“We cannot protect nature without involving the people who depend on it for their livelihoods. They must be part of the decisions and solutions,” he said.
Mr Gyan-Mensah advocated a just transition to a green economy that would create jobs and support economic growth while ensuring that vulnerable groups were not left behind.
He urged governments, businesses, civil society organisations and individuals to take responsibility for protecting the environment.
He said simple actions, such as protecting trees, preventing pollution, reducing waste and restoring degraded land, could contribute to efforts to address climate change.
The European Union Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Rune Skinnebach, urged individuals and institutions to bridge the gap between human activities and nature to protect the environment for future generations.
He said protecting nature required a change in how people understood and interacted with the environment.
“Protecting nature is not only about policies and regulations. It also requires a change in attitudes, greater public awareness and individual responsibility,” he said.
Mr Skinnebach said greater efforts were needed to encourage people to adopt practices that protected natural resources.
The Board Chairperson of AC4NCA, Rev Dr Joyce Aryee, commended the institutions that had supported the initiative and contributed to efforts to promote nature-based solutions to climate change.
By Benedicta Gyimaah Folley
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