Ghanaian youth, civil society and the media must ensure that our leaders do everything right to protect the nation from human activities that affect the environment and livelihoods.
The world jatropha summit was held in Ghana, and our leaders seem to pledge their support to the rush by Foreign investors to take over our fertile lands for the cultivation of jatropha, with no clear policy on its implication to food security, environment, livlihoods, basic human rights and other serious concerns by the young people in the rural communities.

I support the indian youth in their commitment towards a better world, and urge Ghanaian Youth to learn more and engage our leaders on the issue of climate change
Thanks

Frank mensah
community development volunteer
ghanayouthmp@yahoo.com

A bit of CO2 in the atmosphere isn’t going to harm Ghana at all when compared to the fact that it’s right next to an enormous and naturally expanding desert.

Ghana’s elite need to start the process of developing the country to deal with ALL threats to human life by relaxing laws that prevent the formation of small businesses.

Introduction

Climate change on international agenda is starting to receive the very highest attention that it merits. It has become one of the major issue of discussion among the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations and dialogue between developed and developing countries have already begun.

Scientist have affirmed the warming of the climate system and linked it to human activities. This is justified by the increase in the average surface temperature by about 0.6 C.

Development is about expanding human potential and enlarging human freedom. It is about people developing the capabilities that empower them to make choices that they value most.

Climate change threatens to erode human freedoms and limit choice. It calls into question the enlightment principle that human progress will make the future look better than the past.

The early warning signs are already visible for everybody to see. In most developing countries, millions of the world’s poorest people are already being forced to cope with the impacts of climate change. These impacts do not register as apocalyptic events in the full glare of world media attention. They go unnoticed in financial markets and in the measurement of the world Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

However, increased exposure to drought, to more intense storms, to floods and environmental stress is holding back efforts of the world’s poor to build a better life for themselves and their children.

The starting point for avoiding dangerous climate change is recognition of three distinctive features of the problem. The first feature is the combined force of inertia and cumulative outcomes of climate change. Once emitted. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere for a long time.

There are no rewind buttons for running down stocks. People living at the start of the 22nd Century will live with consequences of our emissions just as we are living with the consequences of emissions since the industrial revolution.

For instance for the first half of this 21st Century the world in general, especially the poor will have to live with climate change to which are already committed.

The fourth assessment review of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has established an overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is both real and man-made.

In the last three decades, about 22 countries in Africa have been affected by flood and 1.5 million people have been displaced, whilst at least 300 people have been killed.

The Secretary General of the United Nations in his special contribution in the 2007/08 Human Development Report acknowledged that “we are beginning to see these catastrophes (of climate change) unfold. As sea levels rise and tropical storms gather in intensity, millions of people face displacement. Dryland inhabitants, some of the most vulnerable on our planet, have to cope with more frequent and more sustained droughts. And as glaciers retreat, water supplies are being put at risk”.

Ghana’s Situation

Ghana is part of this pending global disaster. Unfortunately it has not been given the needed attention in country to mitigate its impact in the future. Very rare do we hear of any discussion on climate change by the leadership of this country.

Currently Ghana does not have any policy direction or framework in addressing climate change.

The consistent human activities in the industrial areas, emission of greenhouse gases, bush fires, felling of trees and the discovery of oil which will lead to the sitting of oil companies puts Ghana in a more dangerous position in the coming years.

The recent flood that hit the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Western Regions in September 2007 revealed the nations vulnerability. The following were the statistics that were recorded by the Ministry of Interior with regards to the flood;

Number of deaths – 56

Number Displaced – 331,360

Houses Destroyed – 34,919

Roads Damaged – 655

Farmlands Destroyed – 46,851

Dams & Bridges Destroyed – 140

The economic, health and social cost of this flood was so enormous that donor agencies, philanthropist and companies had to come in to support the victims.

There exist a gap between scientific evidence of what is happening and political actions.

Climate change is a challenge that needs to be addressed now to reduce the risk it poses to a developing country like Ghana, especially the future generation. The future generation of this country stands directly in harm’s way and they have the least resources to cope.