Ghana committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 64million tonnes of CO2 by 2030 – Akufo Addo

President Akufo Addo has said Ghana is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by some sixty-four million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (64MtCO2e) by 2030.

He said the move would enhance the resilience and adaptation to climate change in accordance with Ghana’s enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Speaking at the launch of this year’s “Green Ghana Day” under the theme “Growing for a Greener Tomorrow,” the President said the effort must inspire all to take part in this national tree planting exercise.

He indicated that government through the ministry is determined to plant about 10,000,000 trees this year.

“In the last three years of its implementation, with your unflinching support, we have planted over forty-two million trees (42,000,000) trees, most of them, I am told, are doing very well,” he stated.

He emphasised that nurturing the trees was important to ensure sustainability. “We cannot provide the “Green Tomorrow” we desire, if the seedlings do not grow to maturity. This tree planting exercise must, therefore, not end today, it must continue until the trees are able to stand on their own and contribute to the sustainable future we aspire to,” the president said.

He added, “It is a clarion call for us to leave a greener, better and more prosperous world. This requires decisive action towards building a more resilient ecosystem and a healthy planet.”

Minister, Hon. Samuel Abu Jinapor, said government has made giant strides by implementing several policies and programmes towards championing agreements reached at the international level to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030, as well as raise awareness on private sector climate financing, through the Voluntary Carbon Market Initiative (VCMI).

According to him, Ghana was one of the few countries to record a decrease in the rate of deforestation alongside Brazil and Colombia.

He said the survival rate of the trees over the years had been consistent with sixty-seven percent (67%) survival rate in 2021 increasing to seventy-two percent (72%) in 2022 and eighty-one percent (81%) in 2023.

“We are counting on the support of all Ghanaians and residents of Ghana to join hands with us to make this year’s edition a success,” the minister urged Ghanaians.