4th International Climate Change and Population Conference Opens

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey has urged the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) to take the lead to support the development of the University of Ghana to become climate compatible.

The Vice Chancellor made these remarks at the Opening of the 4th International Climate Change and Population Conference on Africa (CCPOP-Ghana2015), at the University of Ghana under the theme “Climate Change, Sustainable Innovation and Partnerships”.

The 3-day international conference which was organised by the Trans-disciplinary Climate Change Working Group Centre of Excellence provided new grounds towards increasing networking and lessons sharing amongst scientists and policymakers and attracted over 100 participants from more than 20 countries globally.

Prof John Owusu-Gyapong, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Development in his welcome remarks reiterated the strategic vision of the University of Ghana to become a world class research university which he said, recent university rankings are already pointing towards.

In a message read on his behalf, Prof Samuel Nii Ardey Codjoe, the Convener of the Climate Change Working Group called for support for the Group in contributing to climate change issues beyond the boundaries of the university.

The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Mahama Ayariga recounted the real issues of climate change, citing drought as one of the factors pushing people out of their environments to new destinations where they often faced other challenges of poverty and insecurity.

 

Hon. Mahama Ayariga, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation

The Head of the European Union delegation to Ghana, Ambassador William expressed his commitment to the principles of engaging scientists, political leaders and influential policy makers in building a momentum on the priorities to be set up for a fair and comprehensive agenda on climate.

Dr. George Manful of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Kenya called for intense collaboration between academia and policy makers towards reaching agreement on the intended Nationally Determined Contributions in Paris 2015.

Prof Ebenezer Owusu, the Provost of College of Basic and Applied Sciences in closing the conference lauded participants for a good conference and urged them to be innovative in their research towards promoting sound development.

Dr Ajantha Perera from the Fiji Islands entreated participants to commit their research ambition to God if they wanted to make a difference in development.

 

A cross section of participants at the conference