EU holds Climate Information Session

Accra, June 18, GNA - The European Union in Ghana has organized a Climate Info Session to discuss the impact of climate change on Ghana, and to also prepare the country for the upcoming Paris Global Agreement.

Over 50 climate stakeholders in Ghana attended the session to exchange views on the state of international climate negotiations and Ghana's preparation to Paris.

The French Ambassador, Frederic Clavier, said the objective of a global agreement in Paris at the Conference to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was to contain the rise in average global temperature to a maximum two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

He said the 'Paris Climate Alliance' is an agreement to build together and give a clear signal to the citizens throughout the world.

'…our communities and our businesses that we are determined to initiate a transition to low carbon economies, while ensuring equitable access to sustainable development.

'In developing countries like Ghana, climate change is having a disproportional negative impact as it exacerbates problems related to rapid population growth, existing poverty and a heavy reliance on agriculture, natural resources and the environment,' he added.

Dr Emmanuel Tachie-Obeng, UNFCCC National Focal Point for Climate Change, Education, Training and Public Awareness, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said Ghana considered climate change as a development issue under the Shared Growth Development Agenda, and was committed to climate change resilience on adaptation and sustainable development.

He said Ghana's commitments were expected to be adopted at cabinet level by the end of the summer.

He stressed the need to put in appropriate measures to deal with the vulnerability of climate change.

Ignacio Burrull, Head of Co-operation, European Union in Ghana, expressed support for Ghana's climate negotiators to ensure that they would be delivering a strong and sustainable input to the upcoming 21st Conference of the Parties in Paris.

Dr Mamadou Ouattara, Director of Department of Graduate Studies at West Africa Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WESCAL), stressed the need for reliable climate research, to understand the full scope of climate change impact in West Africa.

'The impact of climate change and climate variability on rainfall is one of the most important challenges facing West African populations, including increase in dry spells and high variability of the beginning of rainy season,' he added.

The day was first launched by the United Kingdom and German Foreign Office climate departments last year to build a political momentum towards a new global climate deal to build a political momentum towards a new global climate deal at the end of the year.

GNA