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By Lydia Kukua Asamoah, RNG
Accra, June 06, GNA – Mrs. Shirley Ayorkor
Botchway, the Foreign Minister said that investing in an ambitious climate
action is an investment in peace and stability.
She said that such an investment could be done
through the awareness of the negative impact of climate change on
livelihoods, including deforestation, land degradation and drought, which
affects crop yields and creates difficulties for farmers.
Awareness would also raise awareness
citizens to take ownership of the issues related to climate change, Ms.
Botchway said at the Climate and Security Conference held in Berlin that has just completed,
Germany.
She acknowledged that climate change is a
crucial issue for foreign policy because its multiform impacts such as
desertification, land degradation, deforestation, forced migration due to
the scarcity of resources, among others, has affected international peace and security.
It had adverse consequences without economic impact.
and human security, said the minister.
The German Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in
partnership with Adelphi and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
(PIK), hosted the ninth Berlin Conference on Climate and Security.
The conference brought together the main
figures from governments, international organizations, the private sector,
civil society and the scientific community to discuss the growing risks that
climate change presented to peace and security.
He also discussed the need for
decisive action to prevent and minimize climate-related conflicts and
instability.
Germany had made the connection between the climate
change and security policy a top priority for its two-year mandate (2019-2020)
non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
The organizers said the conference was an alarm clock
Calling this climate crisis was not just a question of environment and development,
but represented a major risk to global peace and security as well as to
existence.
He therefore emphasized foreign policy
the relevance of climate policy and the need to put in place a prevention system.
framework of action at the global level. The conference also discussed
concrete prevention mechanisms that can help foreign
climate-related security risks, including conflicts over natural resources,
impending food shortages and territorial losses due to sea level rise.
The conference program also included
round tables on critical aspects of climate change and security
linkage, including migration and internal displacement, socio-economic conflicts
and fragile states.
Mrs Botchway congratulated the German government
and partners for the organization of the conference, which Ghana was pleased to be a part of
of.
She said that the foreign policy of the countries
could strengthen multilateralism and influence the inclination of nations to
participate in international efforts on climate change.
According to Ms. Botchway, foreign policy
strengthens development cooperation and facilitates the provision of global services
badistance to people vulnerable to climate change, mainly in developing countries.
countries to enable them to cope with the effects of climate change.
"It is through foreign policy that progress
has been made in the development of global initiatives like the Kyoto Protocol, Paris
Climate change, among others, to enable countries to create a
common front to deal with climate change, "she said.
She also acknowledged that women, children
and young people were more vulnerable to the impact of climate change, and therefore
was important that their voices were heard to help fight climate change
and its related questions.
She said through education and others
awareness programs; young people could be empowered to serve as agents of
change.
"Again, including them in decision making
process and encouraging them to hold leadership positions in the
legislative and executive will enable them to contribute effectively to the resolution of
The problems."
"It is also necessary to promote the
active participation of civil society organizations defending the
climate change program and to bring their ideas into the decision
manufacturing process.
GNA
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