GHANA’S
REDD+ STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
By
Mawutodzi Kodzo Abissath
 |
| Part of efforts being made by Ghana towards REDD+ strategy |
An African proverb says: “A man’s
greed leads to the destruction of the environment.”
Basically, the term REDD+ or REDD-Plus simply refers to “reducing
emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries and
the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of
forest carbon stocks in developing countries.”
Environmental experts are of the
view that Climate Change may become a single most daunting stumbling block to
the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This
explains why all nations with vision on this planet of environmental
degradation ought to ratify and comply with Paris Agreement adopted at the 21st
Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change (COP 21), November 30-December 12, 2015 in France.
In this article, I intend to
focus on efforts being made by Ghana, as a signatory to the Paris Agreement,
with particular reference to the fight against deforestation and forest
degradation, which the country finds to be critical to its successes of
tackling Climate Change.
On Thursday, 19th October 2017,
Ghana hosted its 2nd National REDD+ Forum on the theme “Strengthening Law
Enforcement for Effective REEDD+ Implementation.” That Forum was addressed by
no less a person than the President of the Republic Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
here in the nation's capital Accra.
The Ghanaian President used the
occasion to underscore the fact that, as a signatory to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC), Ghana initiated a process of
reducing considerably greenhouse gas emission from deforestation and forest
degradation, while at the same time encouraging tree planting projects in the
country.
The President reiterated the
commitment of his government towards every action that prevents forest
degradation and deforestation, and also increases the country’s forest cover.
President Akufo-Addo did not mince words when he told conference participants
that his government was fighting the menace of illegal mining popularly known
as “galamsey’ because of its negative effect on the environment in the country
“Our fight against the illegal
mining phenomenon, also known as galamsey, is a case in point. In the 2016
Manifesto of my party, the New Patriotic Party, we indicated strongly our
commitment to reforestation, forest rehabilitation and forest protection activities,
realizing that forest cover has been depleted significantly in the last two
decades,” the President noted.
According to the President, Ghana
intends to undertake massive forest plantations, with both indigenous and
exotic tree species, and also develop the bamboo and rattan industry, as they
would serve as effective substitutes for furniture and other wood products in
the country. He urged farmers and local communities not to allow illegal
logging and mining to continue, and charged Security agencies on the roads,
ports and borders not look on unconcerned and allow illegal timber products
just to pass without confiscation or with corrupt purpose.
In Ghana, one institution that is
mandated to watch over the nation’s forests is the Forestry Commission. And if
the Forestry Commission could live up to its responsibility, of course, when
provided with the requisite logistics, to enforce relevant laws, the
devastation of forests by illegal loggers would be
minimized. In other words, illegal mining and unsustainable harvesting of
forest products are some factors that contribute to climate change in our
country.
It is the considered opinion of
his author that the fight against climate change should not only be left to
governments. It should be seen as a shared responsibility among citizens, civil society, institutions and organisations, the youth and what
have you? For example, in Ghana the media have been playing a tremendous role
in the fight against galamsey. The role of the mass media in awareness creation
through advocacy and sensitization of the public about issues of forest
preservation in particular and environmental protection in general is sine qua
non
Another group of people or
professionals whose role is crucial for the fight against climate change is the
judiciary. It appears that punishments and penalties prescribed by the laws of
the land against environmental offenders are not deterrent enough. For example,
the convener of the Media Coalition against Galamsey, Mr. Kenneth Asigbey,
who, until recently was the Managing Director of Graphic Communications Group
Limited (GCGL), had a cause to express dissatisfaction about punishment meted
out to illegal mining related offenders.
Mr Asigbey cited cases where some
galamsey offenders arrested by the Operation Vanguard task force who were taken
to courts were fined to pay some amount of money that was nothing to write home
about. He contended that if illegal miners who are making huge profit out of
their illegal activities that are destroying forests, devastating farmlands and
polluting rivers are asked to pay some insignificant amount of money and go scot
free, then it is the nation that will suffer in the long round. Mr Asigbey
appealed to the Chief Justice to take a second look at the laws and advise
members of the Judiciary to prescribe stiffer punishments to perpetrators of
illegal forest destroyers and as well as galamsey operators.
Indeed, at the recently held 2nd
National REDD+ Forum, Ghana’s Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, John
Peter Amewu, lamented that illegal mining has contributed immensely to the
destruction of the country’s forest and the pollution of its water bodies.
According to the Minister,
research has shown that some health related problems in the country like
dementia, and other diseases are on the increase due to some chemicals like
mercury being used by galamseyers in their activities. How can a country
achieve sustainable development goals if illegal mining and destruction of
forests and rivers are affecting the people’s health?
The good news, however, is that,
at REDD+ Forum, Ghana’s Chief Justice, her ladyship Sophia Akuffo, was present
and asserted that her outfit will ensure speedy trial of culprit who (engage in illegal mining) to serve as a deterrent for would-be law
breakers.
Ghana’s efforts at reducing
emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) emerged in global
climate change negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNCCC) as far back as 2005.
The strategy or mechanism was aimed at incentivizing tropical forest
countries to reduce their emissions from deforestation and forest
degradation.
Ghana must not lose guard but
maintain and sustain this effort if the nation will want to achieve the UN
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.
