Climate change project launched

STORY: EMELIA N. A. ARYEE, PIJ INTERN & RAPHAEL AIDOO

Vodafone Ghana, in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has launched a project dubbed: ‘Integrating Climate Change into Telecommunication Industry’, which is aimed at supporting and contributing to environmental issues, especially in combating climate change.

The project will see the integration of climate change into telecommunications in Ghana as part of a wider strategy to establish an early warning system for disaster prevention and recovery in Ghana.

The project will also see the EPA being empowered to monitor and protect the country’s climate change issues through telecommunications infrastructure while promoting effective planning integration of climate change in the Ghanaian telecommunications industry.

Head of Corporate Communications, Vodafone Ghana, Mr. Isaac Cudjoe, said the project is aimed at fashioning out a meaningful relationship that will ensure that disaster management and preparedness move into a higher gear in Ghana.

He noted that with current technology, it should be possible to reach communities with information on all forms of disasters to facilitate the saving of lives and properties, adding that the project is for a period of 2 years and valued at GH¢150,000.

Mr. Cudjoe said since telecom infrastructure is one of the first casualties in the event of a natural disaster, usually triggered by the effects of global climate change, they should be the first to act to fill the gap.

“ICTs can save lives and the setting up early-warning systems and the deployment of remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS)”, he said adding that “wireless communications play an important role when disasters strike.”

He revealed that the program is intended to help Vodafone develop systems that will allow it to identify and rollout next generation networks (NGN) to reduce energy consumption and lead to overall efficiencies of operation. NGN are expected to reduce energy consumption by 40%, compared to today’s technology.

“The savings will be achieved in a number of ways, including: a significant decrease in the number of switching centers, increasing climatic range specifications for NGN switching locations resulting in less need for air conditioning”, he indicated.

He stated that issues to be discussed include the climate change and telecommunication industry issues in Ghana and seek to generate data on climate change into telecommunication. It will also provide information in support of disaster prevention and management.

Mr Cudjoe outlined some activities that would be embarked upon in order to ensure smooth implementation of the project.

Some of the activities, he mentioned would include, review and collation of data on climate change and telecommunications industry, determining telecommunication activities that can contribute to or impacted upon by climate change conduct, environmental monitoring using telecommunication in support of disease reduction and management training of telecommunication experts.

Taking her turn to speak at the function, the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, (MEST) Hon. Sherry Ayitey, reiterated that climate change is one of the most fundamental challenges to ever confront humanity and how delighted she is for her ministry to be a part of the project.

“Its impacts and associated risks are real and are already happening in many countries and sectors affecting livelihood, including water resources, food security, coastal zones and health,” the minister said.

She disclosed that in Ghana, extreme weather conditions are being experienced with its associated impacts within the recent floods in the Greater Accra Region with devastating impacts on Ashaiman, a suburb of Tema and the Agona Swedru Township in the Central Region.

The minister continued that the role of telecommunication industry in climate change is increasingly receiving significant and growing global as well as national attention.

She noted that as victims, telecommunication infrastructure facilities are at high risk due to the impact of hydro-meteorological events such as flooding, wind or rainstorm which can affect reliable services to customers.

She maintained that the project can go a long way to protect farmers against adverse weather conditions.
Ms. Ayitey commended Vodafone Ghana and EPA for initiating such a project and charged other telecommunication networks to also integrate climate change into telecommunication.