Tackle environmental issues holistically - Kasanga

Accra, July 29, GNA - Professor Kasim Kasanga, Minister of Environment and Science, on Tuesday said environmental issues should be tackled holistically, saying isolated programmes had yielded little results.

He told the launch of Ghana's National Capacity Self-Assessment (NCSA) Project in Accra that when environmental issues were considered without bringing all the key elements into perspective, it would not augur well for the country.

Prof. Kasanga said over the years, projects in key areas of the environment - climate change, biodiversity and desertification - had been planned and undertaken in separate ways.

The NCSA, which is being funded by the UNDP, intends to assist the country to formulate a strategy and an action plan to strengthen its capacities as well as establish close links between global environmental management and the achievement of sustainable development goals. Prof. Kasanga said systematic efforts were made to develop a national programme to tackle all the vital environmental issues together.

"This project should also help us to have a better oversight over the capacity needs of the Rio Convention and allow us to address the implementation of the commitment reposed in Ghana under the Convention in holistic, synergistic and comprehensive manner."

Prof. Kasanga said the innovative nature of the project would ensure the effective use of resources, maximise output and offer adequate collaboration with operational focal points of other conventions.

The Minister praised the UNDP for supporting most of its programmes saying: "Some of the inroads we have made towards good environmental stewardship in the country can be attributed the cooperative spirit that exists between our government and the UNDP."