Lands minister calls for multilateral approach to halting climate change

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, has called for a multilateral approach to halting climate change as he said "the effects of climate change are trans-jurisdictional, and we cannot continue to work in silos if we are to deliver action at scale."

Mr Jinapor made this call on Tuesday, 8th November, 2022, the 2nd day of COP27, at the invitation of the Government of the United Kingdom, when he joined other Ministers from Ivory Coast and Brazil, at a panel discussion on “Turning ambition into action: driving supply chain collaboration to halt and reverse deforestation and land degradation.”

The sector Minister during the COP27 event also participated in a panel discussion on nature-based solutions for climate, society and biodiversity at the invitation of the Government of the United States of America.

At this separate discussion, Mr Jinapor noted that nature-based solutions have the capacity to deliver up to a third of global climate solutions, "but we cannot deliver at scale if we do not put farmers and members of fringe communities at the centre."

He said through Ghana's REDD+ Strategy and policies such as the Cocoa and Forests Initiative (CFI) the country through the Ministry is committed to ensure sustainable production that benefits producers and consumers.

The Sector Minister also joined the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at Ghana’s Pavilion, as he presented Ghana’s current actions on greenhouse gas emission reduction strategies, ambitions towards her Nationally Determined Contributions, and opportunities for greater collaboration and impact investment.

He indicated that under the distinguished leadership of President Akufo-Addo, Ghana has reduced deforestation by 13%, and has recorded her first emission reductions, which has been verified and validated by independent third parties, at a value of Nine Hundred and Seventy-Two Thousand, Four Hundred and Fifty-Six tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (972,456 tCO2e), generating a results-cased Carbon payment of Four Million, Eight Hundred and Sixty-Two Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty United States Dollars (US$4,862,280.00).

He asserted that the country is also on course to become the first African country, and second in the world, to meet the European Union’s requirement to trade in legal wood.

Applauding the efforts of the President of Ghana, the Lands Minister said as a climate-conscious leader, President Akufo-Addo continues to guide the nation to deliver on nature-based solutions to climate change.

He gave the assurance that the Ministry will continue to work with the rest of the world to come to grips with the climate crisis.