By: Joyce Gyekye
Ghana has started a process of developing a Long Term Low Carbon Emission Development Strategy with a national stakeholder engagement in Accra.
The meeting was to collate data for a readiness programme. This will tie into the country’s long term development framework of the National Development Planning Commission, NDPC which is currently under review.
The need for a Long -Term Low Emission Development Strategy, LT- LEDS, has become necessary following the absence of such a long term document despite numerous low emission strategies and sectoral plans like the Integrated Power System Master Plan, Low Carbon Development Strategy, Ghana’ s Energy Mitigation Policy and the county’s Nationally Determined Contributions, NDCs in addressing climate change.
At the stakeholders engagement, the Director General of the NDPC, Dr Kodjo Mensah- Abrampah in a speech read for him noted that the country’s infrastructure is more susceptible to severe weather and increasing rise in sea levels due to climate change and unless mechanisms are carefully put in place to ensure long term resilience in development and reduction in vulnerability, climate change will pose serious challenges to national development and the achievement of the SDGs.
He noted that Ghana, like any other country in transition, is faced with challenges and ensuring consistency and continuity of long term development programmes for their cumulative impacts on the entire economy is crucial.
The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Dr Henry Kokofu, said the development of a LT-LEDS is in fulfillment of the Paris Agreement by cutting carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030 and achieving Net Zero around 2050.
He referenced the current report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC which states that humanity is in danger if global temperature surpasses 1.5 degrees Celsius.
He said the effects of such a high temperature will be severely felt by vulnerable countries including Ghana, hence the need for long term emission strategies that will explore the challenges and opportunities associated with structural transformations to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Kwaku Afriyie said Ghana decided to embark on developing LT-LEDS after taking part in an annual general meeting of a group, 2050 Pathways Platform, last year.
He said the platform will support the country’s LT-LEDS with vital planning tools for guiding her energy system to a clean, sustainable and increasingly renewable based future, enhance ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation as well as recycling of plastics.
It will also assist the country in capacity building and technology transfer to enhance the implementation of related mitigation actions as well as create green jobs for the youth.
The National Focal Person, 2050 Pathways at the EPA, Dr Emmanuel Tachie-Obeng said a consultant has been engaged to draft a preliminary report on the country’s readiness to develop and implement a long term strategy for low emissions.
He explained the readiness stage to include data gathering on existing policies relating to low carbons by institutions, collaboration in the regard with development partners, private sector and civil society among others.
Dr Tachie- Obeng said after the compilation of the data, the country will then be able to outline its readiness for the development and implementation of the strategy. This will guide the country in prioritizing activities in the LT-LEDS.
THE 2050 PATHWAYS PLATFORM
The 2050 Pathways Platform is a multi-stakeholder initiative launched at COP 22 by high level climate champions to support countries seeking to develop long-term, net zero greenhouse gas, climate -resilient and development pathways.
NET ZERO
Net zero means achieving a balance between the carbon emitted into the atmosphere, and the carbon removed from it.
