Government has unveiled a comprehensive strategy aimed at safeguarding the country’s economy, communities and ecosystems from the escalating threats of climate change.
The National Adaptation Plan (NAP), developed by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), with support from the Green Climate Fund and UNEP, provides a unified, long-term framework to integrate climate adaptation across national, sectoral and district-level development planning.
The plan, launched in Accra last Thursday, will respond to rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, floods, droughts and sea-level rise that continue to undermine agriculture, water resources, infrastructure, health and biodiversity.
It outlines priority actions across key sectors, including the development of climate-resilient crops, improved irrigation, watershed protection, strengthened health surveillance, climate-proofed infrastructure, and nature-based solutions to restore degraded ecosystems.
The NAP also emphasises governance reforms, capacity building, climate finance mobilisation and the integration of adaptation measures into the Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework.
It also incorporates gender and youth strategies to ensure inclusive participation, while detailed vulnerability assessments conducted across 26 districts guide local-level interventions.
It ultimately aligns with global obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, among others.
Turning point
The acting Minister of Environment, Science, Technology (MEST), Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said the plan marked a turning point in how the nation confronted climate risks as Ghanaians continued to feel the pressures of rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, prolonged dry spells, recurrent flooding, coastal erosion and the loss of vital ecosystems.
In a speech read on his behalf, the minister enumerated nationwide consultations since 2019, major technical outputs such as climate scenarios, risk assessments and a vulnerability information portal, and reaffirmed alignment with global climate commitments.
“The NAP is a policy document demonstrating national commitment to safeguard life, protect our ecosystems, and secure our economic future. It is indeed a promise to the next generation that Ghana recognises the impact of climate change on its socio-economic development agenda and has put in place measures to address it,” he said.
Commitment to protect
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the EPA, Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, in a speech read on her behalf, said the NAP symbolised the country’s commitment to protect nature and ensure that no Ghanaian was left behind in adapting to the devastating effects of climate change.
She added that it recognised adaptation as a shared national responsibility—one that could only be achieved through strong partnerships among government agencies, traditional and local authorities, development partners, civil society, the private sector, the media and the communities themselves.
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