Accra: Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), has urged African nations to close ranks and strengthen solidarity in global climate negotiations, stressing that a united front is essential to securing climate justice for the continent. She emphasized Africa’s vulnerability to climate change impacts despite its minimal contribution to the issue.
According to Ghana News Agency, Prof. Klutse highlighted the visible effects of climate change in Ghana, such as unpredictable rainfall affecting farming cycles, coastal erosion threatening communities like Keta and Ada, and biodiversity loss weakening ecosystems. Her remarks were made during the opening of a four-day Francophone Women Climate Negotiators’ Capacity-Building Workshop in Accra, organized by the EPA and the Institut de la Francophonie pour le D©veloppement Durable (IFDD).
The workshop aims to empower women negotiators from Francophone Africa with skills in diplomacy, technical analysis, and strategy for international climate negotiations. Prof. Klutse also noted Ghana’s commitment to climate governance, citing the passage of the Environmental Protection Authority Act 1124 (2024), which enhances the Authority’s mandate for climate action.
Prof. Klutse underscored the critical role of women’s leadership in climate processes, describing them as vital to resilience, innovation, and community mobilization. The workshop is designed to ensure Africa presents a unified and representative voice at international forums such as COP30 in Bel©m.
Mr. Maher Kheir, Ambassador of Lebanon and President of the Francophone Ambassadors Group, echoed the importance of women’s involvement in climate solutions. He noted the initiative’s success in empowering women to take active roles in negotiations. Mr. Kheir stressed that genuine climate action requires women’s central participation in decision-making and emphasized the necessity of global partnerships to enhance capacity and trust.
He encouraged participants to see the gathering in Accra not just as an event but as a significant step toward inclusive climate governance, reminding them that the world is watching and the climate crisis requires their unwavering determination.