Biodiversity Protection: Ghana and UK renew commitment
Ghana and the United Kingdom have renewed their commitment to the protection and preservation of biodiversity, with the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, speaking at the Nature Action Conference in London, a private sector mobilisation event organised by the UK. Mr. Jinapor reiterated Ghana’s commitment to the global effort to stop the negative impact of climate change on the planet, under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo.
At the conference, Mr. Jinapor admonished developed countries to stop adopting policies that continuously impoverish developing countries and empower them to continue with their work on biodiversity protection. He called on developed countries to work with developing countries to protect the world’s forests and biodiversity, emphasizing that the duty to protect biodiversity is a collective one, and everyone must work together to ensure a safe and healthy planet for current and future generations.
Using the cocoa value chain as an example, Mr. Jinapor pointed out that although the value of the chocolate industry is over $130 billion, Ghana and Ivory Coast, which produce over 60% of the cocoa used in the chocolate industry, receive less than five per cent of the value of the chocolate market. This highlights the need for developed countries to adopt policies that are fair to developing countries, which are essential for the sustainable preservation of biodiversity.
The conference was held to catalyse and demonstrate the delivery of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a landmark international agreement adopted by the 15th session of the Conference of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15.2), held in Montreal, Canada. The framework seeks to galvanize urgent and transformative action by governments, subnational and local governments, and with the involvement of all society, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, and contribute to the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Protocols.
Despite its importance to human well-being and a healthy planet, the world’s biodiversity is deteriorating at unprecedented rates, posing a serious threat to the survival of humans. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework has set a target to mobilise $200 billion per year globally by 2030, including $20 billion in flows to developing countries by 2025, rising to $30 billion by 2030.
Mr. Jinapor highlighted the benefits of biodiversity, including food, medicine, energy, clean air and water, security from natural disasters, recreation, and cultural inspiration. He pointed out that biodiversity loss is synonymous with forest and wildlife loss, which constitutes a huge ecosystem of varying fauna and flora, and Ghana’s commitment to halt forest and wildlife loss includes a commitment to protect the world’s biodiversity.
Approximately 16% (more than 38,000 km2) of Ghana’s total land area is under some form of protection, and another 20-30% or more is under plantation of predominantly cash and food crops. Ghana endorses the 10-point Plan of the Global Biodiversity Framework and is committed to working with other governments and partners to protect and conserve biodiversity.
The event was held at the Lancaster House in London and was followed by a working reception hosted by the British Monarch, King Charles III, at Buckingham Palace, the official London residence and royal palace of the British Monarch. The King also met a number of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) who are members of the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI), as well as Ministers from international governments and indigenous representatives. Business leaders who attended the reception included senior representatives of SMI, which was founded by His Majesty when he was The Prince of Wales.
