Dr. Samuel Dotse, CEO of HATOF Foundation, has congratulated the Parliament of Ghana for launching the Ghana Parliamentary Caucus on Climate Change at the Parliament House of Ghana yesterday, August 28, 2024, and pledged HATOF’s support to the Caucus’ work.
The Caucus is to focus on legislative frameworks, adaptation measures, and climate finance to enhance climate resilience and sustainability while providing an opportunity for its members to strategize, network, and build capacity in tackling climate change issues in the country.
Delivering his goodwill message, Dr. Dotse extended his warmest congratulations and best wishes to the leadership of Parliament, especially the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, for the bold step.
He said that at a time when the world is currently facing the global planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—threatening to derail our development gains—as leaders, the legislature has a critical “role to play in shaping laws and policies, collaborating internationally, and ultimately promoting sustainable development and mitigating the impacts of and enhancing resilience to climate change.”
Dr. Dotse welcomed the theme, “Strengthening legislative action for climate resilience and sustainable development,” and stressed that it is “a vital step for ensuring the future for plants, animals, employment, and humans, who rely on a healthy planet and ecosystem.”
He revealed that while the International Labour Organization has estimated that 1.2 billion jobs depend on a healthy environment globally, the cost of Ghana’s national climate actions is anticipated to be between USD 9.3 billion and USD 15.5 billion, which is likely to produce over 1 million jobs by 2030.
Unfortunately, the World Bank 2017 Country Environmental Analysis Report for Ghana revealed that “our beautiful country loses USD$6.3 billion annually due to environmental degradation.”
He was however optimistic that “our combined efforts will assist bridge the gap between aspiration and action, transforming pledges into measurable outcomes.”
The Parliamentary Caucus on Climate Change, according to Dr. Dotse, “reflects the spirit of collaboration, inventiveness, and dedication required to confront the climate catastrophe locally, while we also take action to reduce the disastrous effects of climate change in coastal communities, especially the Keta Municipality.”
Urging all to embrace this opportunity to work together, share knowledge, and leverage their influence to drive meaningful policy changes, Dr. Dotse pledged HATOF’s commitment “to supporting Parliament on this noble course so that we can build a brighter and more sustainable future for all.”
In shedding light on the collaborative effort of Parliament, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin announced that the New Standing Orders of Parliament have established structures that will “permanently link us with civil society.”
He further stressed that the Caucus will “promote interparty collaboration” while engaging with civil society and international partners to support the implementation of Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.
The Hon. Bagbin emphasised the caucus will commit to ensuring that climate action and disability issues are integrated into our national development agenda.
