Climate Change reports scary

The effects of climate change have been on the increase in the last several years and some manifestations are the high scorching sun and the out-of-season rainfall.

And the president of the Ghana Association of Agriculture Students (GAAS,) Mr. Peprah Harrison, has observed that where agriculture contributes to 60% of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP,) the effects of climate change could mean a drastic reduction in the GDP and consequently a drop in the output of the economy.

He made these statements at the Grand Durbar of the 32nd Annual Green Week celebration of the Legon chapter of the GAAS held in Legon, Accra. The theme for the durbar was “Impact of climate change on livelihoods”

In a welcome address, Mr. Harrison said, his outfit chose such a theme for this year’s celebration because the adverse effect of climate change on farmers and farms in countries, such as Ghana, is enormous.

He expressed the hope that this year’s celebration will dwell much more on reducing the effects of climate change in Ghana.

The Hon. Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Sherry Ayittey, noted that the theme for the celebration is perfect for these times, and expressed excitement over how the impact of climate change has grabbed the attention of the youth.

“I think the theme for the celebration… is very apt for the times that we are in. I am happy that climate change and its impact on our environment and future development have now captured the attention and interest of students,” she said.

Hon. Ayittey said, through science we now know that climate change results in global warming, which is directly caused by the emission of greenhouse gases from the earth into the atmosphere.

She maintained that the greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, when released into the atmosphere depletes the protective ozone layer and thus allows dangerous aspects of the sun rays to hit the earth.

According to the minister, the discharge of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere has been proven to be the result of human productive activities, especially the production processes of developed and industrialized countries.

She noted however that 20% of the greenhouse gases emission is also caused by deforestation and land degradation in tropical forest countries.

The science minister further stated that climate change, which results in increases in temperature, affects the pattern, intensity and variability of rainfall, which consequently affects farming and agriculture practices and hence food security.

She continued that climate change also decreases crop yields, reduces productive capacity of land, increase coastal erosion and causes human health hazards and reduction in quality of livelihoods, especially in developing countries like Ghana.

“Increase in atmospheric temperature also increases sea temperatures and actual sea levels which negatively affect fish breeding and depletes sea stocks,” she added.

Ms. Ayittey also said climate change can also have a negative impact on health and sanitation through air-water-food-borne diseases which also bring about flooding, drought and heat waves accompanied by dry winds.

She appealed to Ghanaians to stick to good sanitation measures to get rid of the diseases which come along with it “Let us as Ghanaians grow more trees in the environment”.

“The sanitation nightmare currently being experienced in our urban areas combine with the above issues to multiply health risks; I humbly appeal to Ghanaians to observe good sanitation rules in order for us to curb the growing rate of cholera and other infections,” she appealed.

Prof. S.G.K. Adiku of the Soil Science department at the university reiterated that climate change has been a talk about issue all over the world.

He disclosed that currently greenhouse gas loading in the atmosphere has increased with a steady increase in global temperatures with a current value of about 0.4 degrees Celsius above long term average.

Mr. Adiku continued that global warming affect the global circulation of wind which is the major carrier of rain adding that climate change impacts on livelihoods also dwells socio-economic and livelihood parameters in the community.

According to him, this affects physical capital (infrastructure), financial capital, human capital (education), and social network.

He hoped that the 32nd Agriculture week celebrations will provide a platform to campaign against climate change and its impact on livelihoods.