CSO Delegation to the COP 27, ENDA and African climate Foundation in partnership with the AbibiNsroma Foundation has organised a workshop for Non state Actors within Ghana including CSOs and Ghana climate negotiators on Less and Damage.
The event was held at the World Bank Office to provide capacity building on the Loss and Damage related to climate change.
The program was preceded by community engagements in Tema to dialogue with community members to assess the impact of climate change and the losses and damages that has saddled them and to get key messages that could be used to influence policy makers and CSOs to advocate effectively at COP27.
Kenneth Nana Amoateng of AbibiNsroma Foundation also emphasized the need for CSOs to be abreast with the message that the African and Ghanaian stakeholders are taking to the COP27 and be able to participate well in the climate change talks and integrate the loss and damage in their programs and activities both at the grassroots levels and policy levels.
Mr Emmanuel from ENDA also welcomed participants to the meeting and emphasized the need for CSOs to build capacity for effective and meaningful engagement at the National level and International level at the COP27.
To expose participants to the different methodologies and techniques on COP negotiation strategies to build strong CSOs coalition to address the challenges of climate change.
To discuss and identify national priorities and challenges that would support the preparation to the COP27 engagement for National Champion.
Way forward for CSOs at COP27.
Kenneth Amoateng emphasized the need for CSOs to amass a common front and prepare clear messages to advocate for loss and damages integration into the COP27 framework. Ken Amoateng required participants to write down three recommendations that will be required as part of way forward, the recommendations are compiled below:
Develop a platform for synchronising climate loss and damage data, possibly the Timba software
Advocate for funding to support local communities affected by climate change.
Empower youth with climate entrepreneurship to be able to adapt and recover quickly from the incidences of loss and damage associated with climate change.The need to involve youth in junior, senior high schools and tertiary institutions in the sensitization process is key.
The Need for education on loss and damage
Measures to be put in place to assist affected persons, therefore NADMO to be empowered to be prompt and swift in addressing loss and damage issues.
Extensive research on the evidence on loss and damage
Closing Remarks was given by Mr. Oppong Kyekyeku, former director of Climate Change at the Environmental Protection Agency.
In his speech, he emphasized the need to build capacity in climate negotiations and urged the CSOs to be able to use evidence based data to advocate meaningfully to the government and other international stakeholders.