The Ambassador of Spain to Ghana, Javier Gutierrez, lauded Ghana’s substantial contribution to global climate action and food security during the second edition of the Environmental Sustainability Summit (ESS 2023).
Speaking at the event held in Accra, Ambassador Gutierrez highlighted Ghana’s influential position in international fora and its ability to captivate global attention on climate change issues.
He acknowledged Ghana’s active participation in driving climate change action and emphasized the importance of collaboration between Spain and Ghana to address the challenges posed by climate change.
The summit also shed light on the pressing issue of food insecurity in Ghana and the broader sub-Saharan Africa region.
The World Bank’s recent Country Climate and Development Report highlighted the urgent need for climate action to prevent an increase in poverty.
The report warned that if immediate measures are not taken to address climate shocks, at least one million more people in Ghana could fall into poverty. Furthermore, Ghana experiences significant food losses throughout its supply chain, with approximately 3.2 million tonnes wasted or lost annually.
The summit called for comprehensive discussions and frameworks to universally adopt sound decisions and address the impacts of climate change on food systems.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako, emphasized the significance of education and human skills development as vital components of Ghana’s long-term strategy to combat climate change.
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He stressed the importance of equipping individuals with climate literacy and relevant skills to enhance the capacity to address environmental challenges. Professor Asare-Bediako called for interdisciplinary education and collaboration to foster a holistic understanding of climate change.
By investing in education and human skills development, Ghana aims to create a sustainable society that thrives amid the challenges of climate change and secures a prosperous future.
