UKCEH expands reach to promote best environmental practices through robust research

In an effort to enhance environmental research in West Africa, the United Kingdom Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) has opened its international office in Accra, Ghana.

This expansion aims at strengthening partnerships and deliver sustainable solutions to the pressing environmental and socio-economic challenges across the West African sub-region.

The new office, inaugurated by Lord Cameron of Dillington, Chair of the Board of Trustees of UKCEH, and Ophelia Mensah Hayford, Ghana's Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, underscores a commitment to sound environmental management practices through robust research.

Speaking at the event in Accra on July 10, Hayford emphasized the critical role of scientific research in environmental governance, highlighting that the UKCEH's mission aligns closely with Ghana's Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy and the African Union's Agenda 2063.

“This office will provide the vital environmental science that governments, businesses, and researchers rely on to meet the great challenges, contributing substantially to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals,” the minister said.

Deputy British High Commissioner, Keith McMahon, said that the UK Ghana Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy aims to foster collaboration in research, innovation, and technology transfer between the two nations.

He stated that the UKCEH is a world-class research institution that has been at the forefront of environmental research for the last 50 years, supporting countries to understand the natural world to inform policy decisions.

Professor Harry Dixon, Associate Director for International Research and Development at UKCEH, highlighted the institution's track record in environmental research, including collaborations with local communities such as cocoa farmers in Ghana to enhance productivity and climate resilience.

“We are working with collaborators to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across different landscapes in Southeast Liberia, setting a baseline for future work to mitigate GHG emissions.

“Our research into Sahel storms is supporting the development of early warning systems and informing long-term climate adaptation planning, in partnership with meteorological services,” Prof. Dixon added.

Dr. Stuart Wainwright, CEO of UKCEH, also emphasized the importance of international collaboration in addressing global environmental challenges, affirming the new office's role as a hub for environmental science in the region.

Director-General at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Professor Paul Bosu, welcomed the UKCEH's presence, citing its timely contribution to addressing Ghana's environmental challenges and pledging support from all CSIR institutes.

UKCEH, renowned for employing over 500 environmental scientists globally, is already engaged in enhancing water resource monitoring, assessing flood and drought risks, and monitoring metal pollution in Ghana's mining areas.

The research-focused institution aims to collaborate with the government of Ghana and the United Nations on biodiversity mapping to demonstrate its commitment towards advancing sustainable development goals through science and international cooperation.

MA/AE