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COP26 CVF Leaders’ Dialogue Statement by Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu, Hon. Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana

Climate Vulnerable Forum Leaders Dialogue COP26

4:15 – 6:15 pm 2 November 2021 – UNFCCC COP26, Glasgow, Scotland

Intervention of Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu

Hon. Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana

In representation of H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, Hon. President of Ghana, Chief of the Executive Office of the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana

Good afternoon colleagues, representatives of the parties to the UNFCC and Paris Agreement, distinguished guests of the CVF, ladies and gentlemen. 

We wish to thank the government of Bangladesh for hosting the CVF Leaders Dialogue here in Glasgow, UK. It is also important to note that Ghana has for long expressed their interests to host the next presidency of CVF as the term of Bangladesh comes to a successful end. We are also pleased that all members are ready and prepared to give Ghana the presidency and here I would like to assure you that we will not renegade on our responsibilities since our President has been in the forefront of the fight for climate change. It is important to know that he has been a co-chair of the Imminent Group of Advocates for SDGs. To this end, Ghana is ready and prepared to lead the cause of the vulnerable countries of which we all find ourselves, either we fight together and succeed together, or we sink together. Climate change impacts are affecting our sectors of development, Ghana’s vulnerability to climate change is in large part defined by its exposure to the various impacts with droughts, floods, among others. We are facing terrible consequences in our marine environment. Africa is warming faster than any continent of the world, even though we are known to be the least emitters. In this respect, Ghana stands with a common position of the African Group and the CVF that mayor emitters have to come with additional ambition in this COP26 to further reduce their emission levels as this is the only measure that could give the vulnerable nations hope to keep their temperature by 1.5 degrees nu 2030. Additionally, because we are already living inside a Western climate emergency and ambition raising must now encompass adaptation and not only mitigation. At this point, we add our voice to Madam Prime Minister’s call to for a 50/50 share of adaptation and mitigation of climate finance. 

And here it is important that the battle is on two fronts and we need to constantly accelerate adaptation action to keep us safe given that mitigation is being given more attention than adaptation. Developed countries should have a delivery plan for the promised of the hundred billion dollars per year agreement implementation budgets. And this one is very important and dear to all of us, because that pledge needs to be redeemed if we had to go forward to finance and funding climate smart projects within our various countries. This would give all countries the confidence that resources will be available to support their emissions ambition.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ghana, like many developing nations, is already taking steps to address the negative impacts of climate change. In view of the indispensable risks climate change poses to the realization of long term development objectives. Our country has decided to tackle it head on by developing an ambitious multi-sectorial plan that will allow us to achieve our national goals towards the contributing to the Paris Agreement. 

I appreciate everyone’s time and concentration.
Madam chair,
Thank you very much for your attention. 

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