Image: Getty Images/For illustrative purposes
The UAE and Ghana have announced a $30 million partnership to strengthen biodiversity and combat climate change through community development initiatives.
The announcement was made after the signing of a letter of intent by Dr. Amna Al Dahak, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and Samuel A. Jinapole, Ghana’s Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.
This cooperation falls under Ghana’s Resilient Ghana Nature and Climate Strategy. It outlines six key investment areas including biodiversity corridors, reforestation and agroecology, all designed to simultaneously benefit the climate, biodiversity and local communities.
Dr Al Dahak highlighted the UAE’s commitment to global environmental goals. “Our partnership with Ghana is evidence of our focus on biodiversity, climate and development. This investment will strengthen our reforestation efforts, positively impact local livelihoods and increase community engagement. “It will facilitate,” she said.
Supporting carbon reduction efforts in Ghana
Minister Jinapole emphasized the critical need for additional financial mechanisms to bridge implementation gaps in domestic carbon reduction initiatives. “Ghana is receiving carbon payments, but it needs comprehensive support to maximize emissions reductions and strengthen ecosystem protection,” he said. “We appreciate the UAE’s commitment to improving livelihoods and protecting forests.”
The partnership also prioritizes gender equality and youth participation, in line with the UAE Consensus established at COP28, which aims to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. Furthermore, it aims to integrate the climate strategy with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, United Nations High-Level Champion on Climate Change at COP28, who attended the signing, commented on the importance of the partnership: Goals (SDGs) and biodiversity protection. ”
The two countries plan to announce details of the initial project at COP29 in Baku this November and COP30 in 2025.
The UAE and Ghana are also members of the Forest and Climate Leaders Partnership, further underscoring their commitment to addressing global climate and biodiversity.
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