Samuel Abu Jinapor, Ghana’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has called for a global focus on forest and nature-based solutions to combat the climate crisis. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic, Jinapor, who also co-chairs the Forest Climate Leaders Partnership (FCLP), emphasized the critical role of forests in climate action.
Jinapor highlighted the Green Ghana project, a national initiative aimed at restoring degraded lands and increasing carbon sequestration, as a model of effective forest management. This project, he explained, is part of a broader strategy to address deforestation, which is crucial for achieving up to a third of the climate solutions.
As the world prepares for the 28th session of the Conference of Parties (COP28) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Dubai, Ghana’s agenda includes advocating for increased investment in forests and other nature-based climate actions.
Nature-based solutions encompass a range of approaches, from protecting landscapes to limit deforestation, enhancing ecological diversity, and optimizing farmland management for reduced emissions and maximized carbon sequestration.
At COP28, Ghana seeks to promote knowledge-sharing and discussions on monitoring nature-based solutions’ progress, the Daily Graphic reports. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will join other heads of state in these crucial dialogues. Additionally, sector ministers will explore innovative financing models and public-private partnerships for sustainable nature and forest solutions.
The FCLP, inaugurated at COP27 in Egypt, aims to support the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forest and Land Use, with a commitment to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030. Jinapor revealed that the FCLP has prioritized six initiatives for launch at COP28, including integrated programmes for forest landscape restoration, strengthening forest carbon markets, and promoting sustainable wood use in construction.
