Global climate outlook worrying despite Ghana's progress - Minister

Issifu Seidu, Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, expressed concern over the failure of world leaders to adequately address climate change at a High-Level Technical Convening on Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) in Accra. He said, "Yet, even as countries like Ghana take action, the global picture remains deeply concerning. Ten years after the Paris Agreement, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. In 2024, global temperatures exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels."

Mr. Seidu noted that Ghana is reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but the global trend remains in the opposite direction. He said the implementation of policies and programmes such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), as well as Ghana's focus on increasing renewable energy to 20 per cent, was supporting the country's climate efforts while pursuing its economic targets. The "United Nations Environment Programme's recent Emissions Gap Report projects up to 2.8 degrees of warming by the end of the century." Millions of Africans, including Ghanaians, were being displaced by climate change, with many more projected to fall into poverty due to its impact. Without adequate adaptation and resilience measures, it is estimated that climate impacts could push at least one million more Ghanaians into poverty by 2050.

The convening brought together members of the diplomatic corps, scientists, researchers, and policy experts from across Africa. Participants were taken through the concept of SRM, its types, tools used for modification, and potential impacts. Researchers from across the continent also presented findings on the impact of climate change in their respective countries.