Accra: Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), has called on journalists and climate communicators to take a leading role in narrating Ghana's climate story at the forthcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil. Speaking at the launch of the National Climate and Environmental Communication Initiative (NCECI) in Accra, Prof. Klutse emphasized the importance of effectively communicating Ghana's significant progress in implementing its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and advancing a just transition agenda on an international platform.
According to Ghana News Agency, Prof. Klutse highlighted that as the global community gears up for COP30, communication on climate action is increasingly focused on implementation and transparency. For Ghana, this necessitates not only bolstering policies and commitments but also enhancing the way these are communicated. Effective climate communication is crucial for showcasing Ghana's progress on the NDCs, just transition, and climate empowerment initiatives.
Prof. Klutse pointed out that despite Ghana's ongoing experiences with climate change effects, such as rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and coastal erosion, public understanding of the crisis remains limited. She stressed the need for climate information to extend beyond technical reports and policy discussions to reach farmers, fishermen, youth, and business leaders whose decisions shape the nation's future.
The NCECI, launched in collaboration with Knutsford University, aims to create a national community of skilled communicators, journalists, corporate actors, and educators capable of conveying clear and relatable environmental messages. This initiative also seeks to enhance the capacity of media professionals to report accurately and creatively on climate and environmental matters.
Prof. Klutse stated that the initiative positions Ghana to narrate its own story of resilience, innovation, and leadership in a language comprehensible to its people. A well-informed nation, she added, is a more effective negotiating nation on the global stage.
Prof. Akua Opokua Britwum, Chairperson of the National Media Commission, endorsed the initiative and encouraged journalists to seize the opportunity to specialize in environmental reporting. She underscored the importance of effective communication on climate and environmental issues in fostering behavioral change and encouraging community-level action.
The NCECI program is designed to support corporate sustainability communication and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting. It also aims to engage youth through the Action for Climate Empowerment framework and promote collaboration among government, academia, and the private sector.
COP30, scheduled to take place in Bel©m, Brazil, in November 2025, will commemorate a decade since the Paris Agreement was signed. The conference is expected to concentrate on reviewing countries' progress toward limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C and accelerating the implementation of climate commitments.
