Ghana calls for stronger regional cooperation, climate finance to address climate mobility

Ghana's Climate Change and Sustainability Minister, Seidu Issifu, has urged for enhanced regional collaboration, amplified climate financing, and improved safeguards for vulnerable populations as the country confronts the escalating risk of climate-driven displacement. During the opening session of the "The Global Principles – From Global Consensus to Regional Priorities" at the Climate Mobility Pavilion, an offshoot of COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, Issifu reiterated Ghana's support for the Global Principles for Addressing Climate Mobility.

Ghana estimates that around seven million individuals residing along its coastline are increasingly exposed to threats of rising sea levels and coastal erosion, with specific communities such as Keta and Fuveme already facing substantial climate-related hazards. The minister also highlighted that drought and water scarcity are threatening livelihoods in the Sahel and exacerbating the vulnerability of communities, thereby heightening the risk of climate-induced displacement.

Issifu emphasized the necessity of empowering affected communities to live safely in their homes, if feasible, while ensuring that those compelled to relocate do so with respect, adequate protection, and the preservation of their rights and livelihoods. He advocated for predictable and accessible adaptation funding, strengthened climate-risk evaluations and early warning mechanisms, as well as the incorporation of climate mobility into national adaptation plans, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and responses to loss-and-damage.

The Minister underscored the significance of regional cooperation, particularly through the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement, and called for active participation of communities in decisions that affect their future. In terms of Ghana’s initiatives, Issifu revealed that the nation is collaborating with the GCCM to conduct climate mobility assessments, engage in community consultations, and formulate a National Climate Mobility Blueprint to strengthen current national policies and responses.

"Global commitments must translate into actionable measures that bolster community resilience, protect human rights and broaden opportunities for vulnerable populations," he concluded.

Issifu appealed to stakeholders not to merely endorse global consensus but to implement locally-driven, financially supported, and practical solutions that tackle the unique challenges of climate mobility. Ghana's involvement in COP31 underscores the government's dedication to enhancing climate resilience, safeguarding vulnerable communities, and advancing sustainable solutions to the consequences of climate change under the guidance of President John Dramani Mahama.