Asenso-Boakye Pledges Ghana’s Backing For Global Climate Change Initiatives

Francis Asenso-Boakye, the Minister for Works and Housing, has affirmed the nation’s dedication to global initiatives aimed at decarbonising the building and construction sector in a bid to tackle climate change and its repercussions on individuals, communities and livelihoods.

This commitment was emphasized during his national statement at the second Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change, held as part of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, UAE on December 6, 2023. The event was co-hosted by the COP28 Presidency, UN-Habitat, and the UN Climate Change High Level Champions.

“Ghana pledges its support for the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP) and the Urban Opportunity Fast Forward Initiative (UFFI) for accelerated access to climate finance for sustainable urbanisation. By joining these initiatives, we anticipate valuable support in advancing our urban resilience agenda,” he said.

He added, “As we engage in this global alliance, Ghana looks forward to not only contributing to UFFI and CHAMP’s objectives but also reaping the benefits of shared knowledge, technology transfer, and financial support.”

The Ministerial meeting brought together Ministers of Environment, Urban Development, and Housing, subnational leaders in collaboration with the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities Constituency (LGMA) to the UNFCCC, representatives from multilateral, national and subnational development banks, the private sector, and civil society organizations.

Read below the full statement of the Minister:

The government of Ghana is committed to fostering sustainable urban development and mitigating the impact of climate change.

As a member of the African Ministers for Urban Development Financing (AMUF) and in alignment with the GlobalABC initiative, Ghana is dedicated to decarbonizing the building and construction sector, recognizing the crucial role both play in our climate action endeavours.

Through collaboration with stakeholders, we aim to implement innovative solutions, embracing sustainable practices that reduce carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiency.

Furthermore, Ghana pledges its support for the “Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships” (CHAMP) and the “Urban Opportunity Fast Forward Initiative” (UFFI) for accelerated access to climate finance for sustainable urbanisation. By joining these initiatives, we anticipate valuable support in advancing our urban resilience agenda.

We envision UFFI and CHAMP as catalysts for transformative change, providing resources and expertise to fortify our cities against the adverse impacts of climate change.

As we engage in this global alliance, Ghana looks forward to not only contributing to UFFI and CHAMP’s objectives but also reaping the benefits of shared knowledge, technology transfer, and financial support.

We expect that through this collaboration, we will fortify our cities, making them more resilient to climate-related challenges while simultaneously fostering sustainable and inclusive urban development.

We support the request to include the Ministerial meeting on Urbanization and Climate change in the official agenda of future COPs.

Together, let us build a resilient and sustainable future for our urban landscapes.

Story by Nana Kwaku Boffah.