Climate Crisis : COP28 Should Mark A Turning Point In Accelerated Investment In Forest And Nature Financing – Ghana’s Lands Minister

Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, is optimistic that the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) will serve as a pivotal moment in accelerating increased investments for the financing of initiatives centered on nature and forests, that will culminate in enhancing resilience to climate conditions through the safeguarding and effective management of forest ecosystems.

Speaking at a high-level Ministerial event at the ongoing COP28 in UAE on Sunday, 03 December 2023, on the theme : “Accelerating Forest and Nature Finance Towards 1.5 Degrees Celsius.”, the Lands Minister noted that forest and nature finance remains an essential condition to achieving and fulfilling the goal of the Paris Agreement which enjoins all nation to work towards reducing carbon emissions to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Emphasizing the need and timelines for ramped efforts and decisive actions by world leaders to dealing with climate crisis, Hon. Jinapor averred the minds of the world to the importance of fulfilling the promises and commitments made in furtherance of dealing with the climate change menace.

“I am hopeful that this event, will mark a turning point for accelerated investment in forest and nature finance to build capacities towards safeguarding and managing our forest ecosystems. We must brainstorm, constructively, marked by shared commitments and dedication to action”, he said.

“We must identify barriers to success, and find innovative solutions to them. And we must be resolute in mobilising finance to reach one 1.5 degrees Celsius. We, in Ghana, under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo, remain committed to this cause, and we are ready to build the necessary partnerships to deliver on this ambitious target. ”He stated that is is needless to point out that the time to act with speed and effectiveness against climate change is now. The time for partnership and collaboration in ramping up forest and nature-based climate action is, indeed, now”.

With Ghana being co-chair of Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP), the Minister enumerated some innovations by the government to position the country as major contributor to global efforts in accelerating climate resilience.

He mentioned the much-praised Green Ghana Project , the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme and alternative livelihood programmes supported by Forest Carbon Partnership Facility as some of the initiatives implemented by the Government.

“In Ghana, over the past few years, we have had to expend our limited resources on the protection of our forests, and the implementation of our aggressive afforestation and reforestation programme, including the flagship Green Ghana Project, under which some forty-two million (42,000,000) trees have been planted over the last three years, and the Ghana Forest Plantation Strategy, under which we have cultivated some six hundred and ninety thousand hectares (690,000 ha) of degraded forest in just five years.

“Under the Ghana Cocoa REDD+ Programme, we are proud to announce emission reductions of nine hundred and seventy-two thousand, four hundred and fifty-six tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (972,456 tCO2e) for the first accounting period between June and December 2019, which has been verified and validated, generating results-based payment of Four Million, Eight Hundred and Sixty-Two Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty United States Dollars (US$4,862,280),” he said.

The Ministerial event is one of activities lined up by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to ensure that Ghana makes able and impactful representation at COP28 which is ongoing in Dubai, UAE.

At the Ghana Pavilion on Saturday, December 2, 2023, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo launched Ghana’s country package which is dubbed “Resilient Ghana: Advancing Climate Action for Prosperity.”

At the launch, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo called on the International community, both public and private, to partner with Ghana to effectively implement the package which is under the Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP)