UNDP commends government for its climate resilient policy

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Monday commended government for taking the initiative to develop a climate resilient low carbon growth path within the context of National Climate Change Policy Framework.

“In view of this UNDP will continue to support Ghana to implement the necessary strong and strategic responses to financing the country’s reaction to climate change,” Mr Jeremias Bliaser, UNDP Deputy Country Director stated at the on-going international conference in Accra.

The three-day conference is focusing on; “Leveraging Public Financing to Catalyse Private Sector Engagement in Climate Resilient Development,” is organized by the UNDP Environment and Energy Group, Africa Adaptation Programme and Environmental Protection Agency.

Mr Bliaser noted that the scale of climate change problem and necessary solution needed means that a short-term ad-hoc approach will not be sufficient, “it is now urgent to develop a vision of climate finance architecture in Ghana.

“We need to put in place a system that will not only enable the country to mobilize investments from all potential sources but also that has a robust delivery mechanism to effectively address the adaptation needs of communities, particularly those that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change”.

He said UNDP is assisting Ghana through the Ministry of Environment Science and Technology with high level personnel to provide some of the essential building blocks leading up to a fully operational and successful climate finance mechanism in the country.

UNDP is also supporting the development of guidance to enable government at all levels to understand the economic impacts of climate change on their own sectors and organizations.

He called for ways to leverage private sector investment to climate change proof social and physical infrastructure, such as low-emission electricity generation, use of renewable energy as a means to promote energy access and enhancing energy efficiency.

He tasked that participating countries that generalizations are no longer acceptable in a period beset be economic challenges and competing demands for public resources.

“….We need concrete and scientifically robust evidence able to demonstrate the economic impacts of climate change in each sector…we also need a detailed approximation of the additional resources needed to address the additional burden imposed by climate change on development.

“This is the only way we can convince decisions makers to budget for climate change responses”.

The UNDP Deputy Country Director said following Ghana’s record in mitigating climate change, Ghana has been selected to participate in the UN Secretary General’s Sustainable Energy for All Initiative meeting.

Mr Bliaser said the Accra conference represents a real opportunity for all participating countries to advance their ability to understand how climate change will impact on their economies.

Mr Naoto Nikai, Japanese Ambassador addressing the participants renewed the commitment of the Japanese Government towards African Green Growth Strategy (AGGS) which seeks to promote low-carbon growth and climate resilient development in Africa.

He said Japan has therefore pumped about 92.1 million US Dollars as part of its commitment to strengthen efforts towards climate change adaptation through the “Cool Earth Partnership,” initiative under the Africa Adaptation Programme.

He noted that Japan seek to use the policy to assist African countries in promoting climate change mitigation efforts as well as overcoming challenges in adaptation area.

Mr Nikai however cautioned that it is crucial for developing countries to fully utilize limited financial resources in order to mitigate and adapt to climate change as the world continued to face difficult global economic environment.

Ms Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment Science and Technology noted that the social cost of climate change is estimated at one trillion US dollars; therefore given the financial input required, countries need to explore all possible sources of funding including official development assistance.

She said regrettable, Ghana is missing out on most funding opportunities due to bottlenecks associated with accessing some funds, lack of knowledge about the existence of funds, and procedural errors among others.

She therefore tasked the participants to take full advantage of the workshop study the methodologies for conducting economic analysis of climate change adaptation and develop appropriate climate finance mechanism to assist policymakers in the country.

Ms Ayittey explained that climate change is an all encompassing threat, which directly affects the environment, the economy, health and safety, therefore climate policies must empower vulnerable communities to cope with the dangers.

The Accra Conference is being attended by African Financial Experts, Officials from Ministries of Finance, Environmentalists, donor partners, and AAP Directors.**