Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu has called on stakeholders to come together and pool resources to harness collective expertise in finding innovative solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
“From erratic weather patterns to rising temperatures, from dwindling water resources to the loss of biodiversity, the effects of climate change are profoundly affecting the communities, the livelihoods, and the environment,” he said.
Alhaji Shaibu said this in a speech read on his behalf at MRV for Climate Action Community of Practice workshop in Tamale.
The meeting organised by the MRV for Climate Action Ghana with support from the Environment and Climate Change Canada, was to discuss complex issues surrounding climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience change in the Northern sector.
He encouraged stakeholders to engage in open and constructive dialogue, share their experiences and expertise, and work together to develop concrete actions to address this global challenge.
“Let us seize this opportunity to forge meaningful partnerships, to foster innovation, and to build a more sustainable and resilient future for generations to come,” Mr Shaibu noted.
He urged the participants at the meeting to ponder on how they can innovatively accelerate climate action at the local level and bridge the knowledge gap between central government actors and local government actors.
“This is because local action is essential in the fight against climate change as it empowers communities, fosters resilience, reduces emissions, promotes behavioral change, demonstrates leadership, promotes equity and justice, and contributes to global climate action efforts and also work towards a more sustainable and resilient future,” he added.
The MRV Coordinator for Climate Action for Community of Practice program, Charles Akurugu, indicated that one of the key outputs for the event was to agree on some climate action pilot ideas for implementation under the MRV for Climate Action programme.
He said MRV for Climate Action Ghana is strengthen and mature multi-level climate governance and institutional arrangements to establish more efficient and effective climate MRV systems to mobilize investments and accelerate priority mitigation actions to achieve the effective impact.
The workshop was attended by key stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, Non-governmental organizations, Universities, among others to review the current status of the nation’s Climate MRV system and to also address the challenges.