By Raymond Awiagah
Climate Resilience Initiative
As climate change continues to unleash severe droughts, floods, and environmental degradation across Africa, leaders and experts are intensifying their call for homegrown, sustainable solutions.
Africa Centre for Nature-Based Climate Action (AC4NCA) Rationale
It was against this backdrop that the Africa Centre for Nature-Based Climate Action (AC4NCA) convened the maiden Africa Climate Dialogue, bringing together policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and advocates to chart a collective path toward a climate-resilient and sustainable future.
Ghana’s Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability’s Point of View
Delivering the keynote address at the high-level dialogue, Hon. Seidu Issifu, Ghana’s Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, underscored the urgency of harnessing Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) as a central pillar of national and continental development.
He emphasized that Africa faces a “triple crisis” of climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation, which threatens food security, water resources, and livelihoods. Yet, he noted, within these crises lie immense opportunities, if nations work with nature rather than against it.
“Nature is not merely a passive victim of climate change; it is an essential and active part of the solution,” the Minister declared. “Our approach must recognize the power of ecosystems to restore balance, sustain livelihoods, and drive economic transformation.”
Ghana’s strong policy commitment to integrating Nature-Based Solutions
Hon. Issifu highlighted Ghana’s strong policy commitment to integrating Nature-Based Solutions into its national development agenda and climate policy frameworks.
“As a government, we firmly recognise that nature is not merely a passive victim of climate change; it is an essential and active part of the solution. The natural world provides us with the resources, systems, and resilience needed to confront this crisis. It is for this reason that we have made a deliberate commitment to integrate Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) into our national development agenda and climate policy frameworks”.
Climate Resilience Initiative So far
He pointed to key interventions under the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) saying that, it reflects governments commitment of prioritising key interventions such as large-scale tree planting, sustainable and climate-smart agriculture, and the restoration of degraded lands and watersheds.
These initiatives according to the minister, do not only enhance carbon sequestration and ecosystem resilience but also create green jobs, improve food security, and strengthen the livelihoods of our rural communities.
“We are simultaneously advancing the implementation of our National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which seeks to protect and restore critical habitats” he disclosed.
Praising Ghana’s President John Mahama
Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, commended President John Dramani Mahama’s visionary creation of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability portfolio, describing it as a “structural solution to policy fragmentation.
This new ministry, he explained, is to serve as the unifying force, ensuring the harmonisation and strategic alignment of all resilience projects and sustainability policies under one cohesive national vision”.
Establishing a National Climate Change and Sustainability Hub
The Minister also announced plans to establish a National Climate Change and Sustainability Hub, envisioned as a centre of excellence to foster policy innovation, research, and cross-sector collaboration.
Additionally, Climate Change and Sustainability Units will be institutionalized across all Ministries and local assemblies to embed climate priorities into every level of governance.
The Need for Partnership
Hon. Issifu called for deeper partnerships between government, academia, the private sector, and civil society to ensure that research informs policy and investments drive sustainable impact.
Aligning Ghana’s Efforts with Global Frameworks
He stressed the importance of aligning Ghana’s efforts with global frameworks such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, in order to attract international support and financing.
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Commending the Africa Centre for Nature-Based Climate Action
Commending the Africa Centre for Nature-Based Climate Action (AC4NCA) for its leadership in promoting science-policy dialogue and community-led projects, the Minister expressed optimism about Africa’s capacity to lead in sustainable development.
“Africa is a continent of resilience, creativity, and promise,” he said. “We have the people, the ideas, and the natural capital to chart a new development pathway.”
Conclusion
He concluded with a powerful call to action for all stakeholders from the private sector to youth groups to invest in nature-based approaches that protect ecosystems, create green jobs, and strengthen community resilience.
The theme for this year’s dialogue was, “Harnessing Nature-Based Solutions: A Pathway to Sustainable National Development,”.