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27.04.2011 Feature Article

HOW CLIMATE CHANGE WILL AFFECT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF MDGS IN GHANA

HOW CLIMATE CHANGE WILL AFFECT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF MDGS IN GHANA
27.04.2011 LISTEN

HOW CLIMATE CHANGE WILL AFFECT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS: BY EDEM SREM A JOURNALIST.

According to a United Nations report, Ghana is one of the first countries to have achieved Millennium Development goal one; eradicating extreme poverty. It is good news but soon to come, there will be more people in abject poverty than expected. This is due to the harsh realities of climate change. Northern Ghana; described by most people as the poorest regions in Ghana are largely subsistence farmers who depend on the climatic seasons to farm. Recently I visited the area and realized that there were heavy storms than normal. The heavy storms and the opening of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso has and is affecting crops and human existence. There is too much water for crops such as millet, maize and sorghum, the major staples in those areas. These could undermine the meeting of the first millennium development goal. Farmers will loose their crops and will not be able to meet their expected target for the year. Predictions are that if there is a global temperature rise of 2º Celsius, global cereal production will fall drastically from 300 million tons to 180 million tons. That is if we do not reduce our carbon emission status to a renewable and carbon free energy. Coast lines from Accra to Keta are been washed away, threatening human lives and property. All these will affect the attainment of the first development goal. In the face of heavy storms, drought and other natural disasters, it will be a herculean task to achieve the second millennium development goal which says we should achieve; free universal primary education. These natural happenings require children of school going age to help their parents when such disasters happen. At this stage children begin to fear going to school because they feel protected when with their parents. At times the school buildings themselves will be washed away, roofed off or collapse. These make education inaccessible to the children. Flooding also affects the children, as they could not cross the high flood waters to school. The World population census shows that, women outnumber men in the world yet they are the most vulnerable in society. Again, another trip to northern Ghana show that 70% of women cultivate the land, these women are directly responsible for feeding their children. The harsh weather conditions will affect their farming practices. This will mean that, they have to spend more hours and days on the farm. This will prevent them from taking part in decision making processes. For our city ladies, the weather forecast will prevent majority of them from going to work. This will reduce production and limit the chances of empowering women. For instance in regards to making drastic climate change policies. If better ways of living is not assured for these women, the attainment of the millennium development goal three; promote gender equality and empower women will not be a success story. A World Health Organisation report says that; the long term good health of world inhabitants depends on the continued stability and proper functioning of the biosphere's ecological, physical and socio-economic system. These are all under threat by climate change. The climate change in itself brings numerous health problems like; malnutrition and hunger, heat waves, asthma, diarrhea, cholera and typhoid. Due to heavy storms drinkable water bodies will be contaminated with flood waters and some places will experience shortage in portable drinking water. One of the realities are that, the over 80% of the world population who depend on plant and herbal medicine will not be able to cope with the system as most medicinal plants die off the surface of the earth. Also places where these plants could be found will be flooded thus making them inaccessible. These will expose the country to different kinds of diseases. This in short will affect the achievement of child mortality; improve maternal mortality, and combat HIV AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Until the country as a whole realizes that climate change is a serious threat to Ghana's environment and acts quickly, achieving the 7th goal; ensure environmental sustainability will never be realized. The mining companies are just exploring our land without any serious forestation programmes. Already, the different types of fish which will attract one to the fisherman's canoe are no longer in existence. They have all been fished out by using smaller nets and chemicals. The death of phytoplanktons also contributes to the death of the fishes as they can not find anything to feed on. In recent times as compared to the past people are now suffering from bronchial illnesses due to the pollution of the surface air around us by over aged vehicles, mining and road construction. The construction of the Nsawam to Apedwa raods has left various carbon footprints. It is amazing to see road constructors cut down trees and never plant to replace them. The environmental problem worsens as Ghana discovers oil. There will be oil spillages and huge emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The last goal; develop a global partnership for development is already becoming impossible. The biggest emitters of carbon dioxide, the United States have refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol. The protocol calls on all richer nations to cut down their emission level. These partnership talked about by the United Nations will not be possible if some countries still have veto powers. The lukewarm attitude towards the climate change issue shown by the richer nations could be that; they will not be hit hardest by climate change compared to the less rich nations. I can not agree more to Christian Aids suggestions that a ninth goal be added to the existing goals. There should always be ways to cut down carbon emissions. We must as a country, act quickly to avert these climate crises if indeed we have to achieve all the UN set development goals

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