Kofi Adu Domfeh: A personal journey through climate negotiations – from Lima with hope to Ethiopia with purpose

Your romantic moment can be under siege by the weather. That’s how close the reality of climate change can dawn on you.

 

Sometime ago, my friend Kojo shared the discomfort of the night’s hot breeze disturbing his attempt to get romantically intimate with his partner.

 

“It gets irritating to go skin-to-skin when you and your partner are already drowning in sweat. Even late night cold showers don’t help matters,” he said. “How can you be on heat when you’re already on fire?”

 

Extreme weather adversely impact every facet of life – heavy rains and heat waves are among hazards faced by the ever-growing global population.

 

The realities of climate change, the vulnerabilities of communities on the frontlines, and the growing urgency for decisive action in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns have shaped my experience and defined my journey through the global climate change negotiations.

 

As I find myself in Türkiye most part of November 2026 for COP31-related engagements, ahead of the next United Nations Climate Change Conference in Ethiopia (COP32), I cannot help but reflect on a journey that began more than a decade ago in Lima, Peru. It is a moment of nostalgia, but also one of renewed purpose, reminding me of how far the global climate conversation has travelled and how much more remains to be done.

 

My first encounter with the Conference of the Parties (COP) process was COP20 in Lima, Peru, in 2014. It was an important moment in the evolution of international climate diplomacy. The world was preparing for a new global climate agreement, and the negotiations were increasingly focused on building consensus around a framework that would succeed the Kyoto Protocol.

 

For me, Lima was more than an international conference. It was an opportunity to witness first-hand the complexities of climate diplomacy, the competing interests of nations and the determination of vulnerable countries to ensure that their voices were not lost in the global conversation.

 

At a time I was top of my journalism career after winner of the African Climate Change and Environmental Reporting Awards (ACCER), I was enthusiastic and energetic in joining a ‘cult’ to up the narrative of Africa's vulnerability to the climate phenomenon.

 

The crazy marketplace of ideas

 

Lima was an introduction to the realities of climate negotiations, what I later termed ‘a crazy marketplace of ideas’ – the long hours of deliberations, the difficult compromises, the diplomatic engagements and the persistent struggle to ensure that the concerns of developing countries, particularly those in Africa, received the attention they deserved.

 

The momentum from Lima would lead to another defining moment in France the following year.

 

Being part of the process at COP21 in Paris in 2015 remains one of the most memorable experiences of my engagement with climate change advocacy and reporting.

 

The adoption of the Paris Agreement was a historic milestone. After years of difficult negotiations, countries finally reached a landmark agreement to collectively address the climate crisis, committing to efforts to limit global warming to well below 2°C, while pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

 

I witnessed the excitement, relief and sense of achievement that accompanied the agreement. For many who had followed the negotiations and advocated for stronger climate commitments, Paris represented a breakthrough in global cooperation.

 

Yet, even then, there was an underlying question: how would the commitments made in conference halls translate into meaningful action on the ground?

 

That question has remained central to my work over the years.

 

My engagement with the climate agenda has evolved beyond attending international conferences. Through years of working with the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), I have had the opportunity to engage with a network of African civil society organisations, climate advocates, researchers, activists and community voices committed to advancing climate justice.

 

PACJA has been particularly instrumental in strengthening my appreciation of the African climate narrative and the importance of collective advocacy.

 

Africa contributes relatively little to global greenhouse gas emissions, yet its communities remain among the most exposed to the devastating consequences of climate change. From prolonged droughts and unpredictable rainfall patterns to flooding, food insecurity, coastal erosion and the growing threats to livelihoods, the impacts are increasingly visible.

 

I've always shared my field reporting encounter with Nina Bawa, a farmer at Atebubu Amantin in Ghana's Bono East Region, who struggled to harvest groundnuts because the rains had failed her. The challenge of not benefiting from her toil of tilling the land means her family's livelihood could be impacted adversely.

 

For a journalist and climate advocate, these are not simply statistics to be discussed at international conferences. They represent the lived experiences of farmers losing their crops, fishing communities struggling with declining catches, women and young people facing livelihood uncertainties, and vulnerable households whose resilience is continually tested.

 

This reality has reinforced my conviction that climate negotiations must remain connected to the people they are intended to serve.

 

My more recent engagement with the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) has offered another important dimension to this journey. It has deepened my understanding of the technical and diplomatic processes through which Africa seeks to advance its collective interests in global climate negotiations.

 

The AGN's work is critical in ensuring that Africa speaks with a stronger, coordinated voice on issues of climate finance, adaptation, mitigation, loss and damage, technology transfer and a just transition.

 

It is also a reminder that Africa must not merely participate in shaping the global climate agenda; it must actively influence it.

 

"For our countries, the negotiations are therefore not merely about text, paragraphs or procedural decisions," said AGN Chair, Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah. "They are about our people, our economies and our development prospects".

 

Türkiye: A moment of reflection and renewed commitment

 

Being in Türkiye at this point in the climate journey offers an opportunity to reflect on the momentum built since those early negotiations in Lima and the historic breakthrough in Paris.

 

There is something particularly nostalgic about revisiting the journey from COP20 to the present, especially considering the years spent working alongside climate justice advocates through PACJA and my evolving engagement with the African Group of Negotiators.

 

The global climate conversation has changed considerably. We have moved from the intense debates about securing a universal agreement to the more demanding task of implementing commitments, mobilising climate finance, strengthening adaptation and ensuring that countries and communities can withstand the growing impacts of climate change.

 

However, the gap between commitments and implementation remains a major concern.

 

For Africa, the urgency is even greater. Communities facing climate-induced displacement, declining agricultural productivity, water stress and extreme weather events cannot afford endless cycles of promises and delayed action.

 

Will Ethiopia deliver action?

 

As Africa look towards COP32 in Ethiopia in 2027, I hope the conference will provide an important opportunity to advance Africa's climate priorities and strengthen the continent's influence in shaping solutions that respond to its unique vulnerabilities and development aspirations.

 

Ethiopia, as an African host, presents an opportunity to bring the climate conversation closer to the realities of the continent. It should be a moment to demonstrate that Africa is not simply seeking solidarity or support, but is also bringing ideas, innovation, indigenous knowledge and practical solutions to the global climate challenge.

 

Looking back, I am grateful for the opportunities to witness and contribute to different chapters of the global climate negotiations.

 

From Lima to Paris, through the years of engagement with PACJA and now the African Group of Negotiators, the experience has strengthened my commitment to amplifying Africa's voice in the climate conversation.

 

As a journalist, my responsibility has always been to connect policy to people, negotiations to realities, and commitments to accountability. I have sought to contribute to an African narrative that does not portray the continent merely as a victim of climate change, but recognises its people as active participants in developing solutions and shaping a more sustainable future.

 

I remain hopeful that the years of engagement, advocacy, reporting and contribution to this collective African effort will yield the desired impact.

 

But that impact must be measured beyond the number of conferences attended, declarations adopted or commitments announced.

 

It must be seen in the resilience of our communities, the protection of livelihoods, improved access to climate finance, stronger adaptation systems and the ability of vulnerable populations to live with dignity despite the growing threats of climate change.

 

Ultimately, the true success of the climate negotiations will not be determined by what happens within the conference halls, but by what changes in the lives of people outside them.

 

That is the journey I hope we are still making – from talks to action, from promises to delivery, and from global commitments to tangible climate justice for Africa.

Africa demands debt relief and direct finance at COP31 Climate Summit

The African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) has noted that the world’s transition away from fossil fuels cannot be called "just" if low- and middle-income nations must mortgage their economic futures to achieve it.

 

Addressing delegates at the opening AGN plenary session at the 31^st UN Climate Summit (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Simon Stiell, declared that COP31 must mark a decisive pivot from commitment to execution.

 

Stiell emphasized that the summit must turn existing international pledges into concrete action, lay the foundation for the second Global Stocktake (GST 2), and establish operational mechanisms to triple global climate finance.

 

However, for African negotiators representing 54 nations on the front lines of severe climate shocks, the debate over scaling finance is inseparable from an escalating sovereign debt crisis that threatens to choke off the continent's economic development.

 

The macroeconomic reality confronting sub-Saharan Africa is increasingly precarious. While African nations account for less than half the per capita greenhouse gas emissions of the Global North, the region is experiencing severe weather disruptions, exacerbated by a climate change-fueled Super El Niño.

 

At the same time, shrinking foreign aid and mounting sovereign debt obligations are severely curtailing domestic policy space.

 

According to research presented by Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, Chair of the Africa Group of Negotiators, more than two-thirds of low-income countries are either already unable to meet their sovereign debt obligations or sit at high risk of debt distress.

 

Rather than receiving concessional grant funding to build climate resilience, developing nations face international climate finance flows that predominantly increase their debt loads. Roughly two-thirds of all self-described climate finance provided by Global North nations consists of loans.

 

This structural imbalance creates a destructive cycle. The top third most climate-vulnerable countries now spend an average of nearly two-thirds of their annual revenues servicing sovereign debt – spending, on average, 25 times more on debt servicing than on climate action. With borrowing costs for African nations averaging 13 percent, sovereign debt service has become the primary barrier to clean energy transitions and climate adaptation.

 

The macroeconomic crisis translates directly into governance bottlenecks across sub-Saharan Africa, where governments are forced to choose between basic civic services and debt compliance.

 

Country-level evidence submitted to the AGN plenary highlights how sovereign debt disincentivizes clean energy deployment and disrupts local administration.

 

In Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, fossil fuels comprised almost 90 percent of export value in 2024. Despite legacy oil and gas extraction projects continuing to plague local communities, geopolitical conflict in the Middle East drove up global petroleum prices. Rather than providing capital for clean energy reinvestment, mounting debt burdens have disincentivized Nigeria's transition away from fossil fuel exports.

 

As AGN Chair Antwi-Boasiako Amoah stressed during the plenary, African populations will not tolerate diplomatic climate agreements that require sacrificing foundational domestic development—including healthcare systems, primary schools, municipal infrastructure, and local roads—to solve a global climate crisis to which Africa barely contributed.

 

African nations arrive at COP31 having demonstrated substantial climate ambition within their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Sub-Saharan Africa holds the world’s largest concentration of renewable energy targets embedded within national climate plans. However, up to 90 percent of that planned ambition remains contingent on international financial support that remains unsecured.

 

To bridge this gap, the African Group of Negotiators has organized its negotiating agenda around three core demands: Predictable, substantial climate capital that reflects the true magnitude of NDC implementation costs across African economies; A decisive shift away from sovereign loans toward grant-based and concessional finance that does not worsen fiscal distress; and Channelling climate funds directly through African financial institutions, national entities, and regional development mechanisms to ensure localized governance and rapid deployment.

 

For African negotiators, the outcome at COP31 transcends energy metrics.

 

As Chair Antwi-Boasiako Amoah has noted, a just energy transition is fundamentally about whether Africa can industrialize, create decent employment, and extend electricity access to the hundreds of millions of citizens currently without power.

 

With Ethiopia designated to host COP32, the African Group has signaled that sovereign debt relief and non-debt climate finance will remain the central test of international climate justice.

by Kofi Adu Domfeh

Climate diplomacy meets frontline reality: AGN opens COP31 strategy session amid urgent El Niño warnings

As the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) opens a crucial two-day strategy meeting in Antalya, Türkiye, to prepare for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), the urgency of their negotiations is underscored by alarming real-world climate advisories emerging across the African continent.

 

Convening from November 1 to 2, the negotiating body seeks to unify Africa's voice ahead of global climate talks, a task rendered vital by newly confirmed meteorological data indicating severe climate shocks ahead.

 

Concurrently, the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has issued an urgent advisory confirming that a very strong El Niño event is developing in the Pacific Ocean and will heavily influence West African weather into the first half of 2027.

 

The convergence of high-level climate diplomacy in Türkiye and frontline weather advisories in Ghana highlights an imperative message for COP31: international climate governance must deliver concrete, actionable outcomes that build resilience and safeguard vulnerable communities against devastating climate impacts.

 

The AGN plays a central role in coordinating the positions of African nations and representing the continent’s common interests within the United Nations climate process.

 

The strategy meeting in Antalya brings negotiators together to consolidate preparations, strengthen continental coordination, and ensure a unified stance at COP31 and subsequent international forums.

 

Opening the session, AGN Chair Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah stressed that unity, cooperation, and collective commitment are essential to elevating Africa’s voice on the global stage. He commended members for their steadfast dedication despite demanding schedules and competing professional responsibilities.

 

"The spirit of teamwork demonstrated by members will be crucial in ensuring a coordinated approach to the negotiations and securing outcomes that reflect Africa’s priorities and development needs," emphasized Dr. Amoah, urging negotiators to maintain their shared sense of purpose.

 

The Antalya consultations aim to reinforce the group’s collective climate diplomacy and build institutional capacity to secure international agreements focused on adaptation funding, developmental equity, and robust support for climate-vulnerable populations.

 

The Looming Climate Shock: GMet Confirms Intensifying El Niño

 

While diplomatic strategies take shape in Türkiye, operational advisories from West Africa illustrate the escalating environmental pressures facing African nations.

 

In an official advisory issued on October 29, 2026, the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) confirmed that a very strong El Niño event is intensifying in the Pacific Ocean.

 

Joint observations from GMet and leading international climate centers—including the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)—indicate that the event will peak between now and January 2027 before gradually weakening through the first half of 2027.

 

Historical experience demonstrates Ghana’s high vulnerability to El Niño-induced rainfall variability. Previous very strong events in 1982/83, 1997/98, and 2015/16, as well as the moderate event of 2023/24, severely impacted key economic and social sectors across the country:

 

Agricultural Production: Severe rainfall deficits disrupted planting cycles, reduced crop yields, and threatened food security.

 

Water Resources and Hydroelectric Power: Extended dry spells depleted reservoir levels, constraining water availability and hydroelectric power generation.

 

Public Health: Extended heat and dry dust transport created environmental conditions conducive to disease outbreaks.

 

The GMet advisory for 2027 underscores that the consequences of extreme weather fall most heavily on vulnerable populations. Protecting these communities requires translating meteorological forecasts into targeted mitigation measures across key sectors, including health, water resources, the agricultural sector and food security.

 

The parallel developments in Antalya and West Africa illustrate why global climate negotiations cannot take place in a vacuum.

 

As AGN negotiators work to shape Africa's strategic stance ahead of COP31, the realities on the ground in Ghana demonstrate that climate policy must ultimately serve to shield vulnerable communities from environmental disaster.

 

By coupling strong, unified diplomatic advocacy with robust local disaster preparedness, African nations can better protect lives, safeguard food and energy systems, and build enduring resilience against an increasingly volatile climate.

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

Beyond the negotiating table: African climate lead demands action for local communities at Liberia Summit

At a strategic gathering of climate negotiators and national focal points, the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) issued a direct call to prioritize local implementation over international diplomacy alone, warning that global agreements mean little if they do not empower everyday citizens.

 

Delivering the opening address at the Strategic Meeting on Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) in Liberia, AGN Chair Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah stressed that the true value of climate governance must be measured by what changes beyond the negotiating room.

 

Addressing representatives of the Government of Liberia, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Liberia, national ACE focal points, and development partners, Dr. Amoah highlighted the persistent distance between high-level policy decisions and ground-level execution.

 

"We can negotiate the most ambitious climate agreements, mobilise substantial resources and develop sophisticated national policies," Dr. Amoah stated. "But their success will ultimately depend on the people and institutions expected to put them into practice".

 

He emphasized that national commitments—including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs)—must translate into actionable guidance for district planning officers, accessible climate data for farmers deciding when to plant, and meaningful decision-making roles for youth and women.

 

Framed under Article 6 of the UNFCCC and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement, ACE provides an international framework for climate education, training, public awareness, public participation, access to information, and international cooperation.

 

However, Dr. Amoah pointed out that African institutions face severe financial and technical constraints when attempting to expand these programs.

 

"We cannot keep raising implementation expectations without addressing the means required to deliver them," Dr. Amoah cautioned.

 

He insisted that financing, capacity-building, technology, and international cooperation remain central to Africa's unified negotiating position as countries prepare for COP31, following the midterm review of the Glasgow work programme initiated at SB64 in Bonn.

 

Unifying Africa's Voice for COP31 and COP32

 

By bringing together both international negotiators and national focal points, the Liberia meeting sought to align diplomatic strategy with practical implementation challenges on the ground. Looking ahead to COP32, which will be hosted in Africa, Dr. Amoah framed climate empowerment as essential for building resilient economies, capable institutions, and informed societies across the continent.

 

"The real test of climate diplomacy is not only what we succeed in negotiating, but what our countries and communities are subsequently empowered to achieve," Dr. Amoah reflected.

 

Closing his address, the AGN Chair urged delegates to maintain a clear vision of climate governance that directly serves local communities:

"Africa's climate future will not be shaped by negotiations alone. It will also be shaped by the knowledge, capabilities and choices of its people".

 

by Kofi Adu Domfeh 

 

African climate negotiators rally youth for action ahead of COP31 and COP32

Chair of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN), Dr. Nana Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, has urged international partners and young advocates to unite around an integrated climate agenda focused on resilience, equity, and practical action.

 

The Regional Conference of Youth (RCOY) Africa 2026 held in Accra, Ghana, centered on the theme "Driving Integrated Solutions across Africa’s Climate Agenda for Impact, Resilience and Justice," highlighting the urgent need to translate international negotiating priorities into tangible community outcomes.

 

Speaking to diplomats, policymakers, and youth delegates, Dr. Amoah emphasized that climate change cannot be treated as an isolated environmental concern, noting that it directly impacts food security, water availability, energy access, public health, and economic development across the continent.

 

Representing the collective voice of African nations within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the AGN Chair outlined core negotiating priorities, including adaptation, predictable climate finance, loss and damage mechanisms, technology transfer, and a just energy transition.

 

Dr. Amoah stressed that African countries must be enabled to pursue vital development aspirations while receiving support for a crisis they contributed relatively little to causing.

 

"Addressing these challenges requires an integrated approach that connects international climate negotiations with national policies, regional cooperation and implementation at the community level," Dr. Amoah noted, adding that adaptation ambitions require predictable finance and technical capacity at all levels.

 

Turning to climate diplomacy, Dr. Amoah highlighted the vital role of Africa's youth demographic in driving innovation, community mobilization, and technical research across issues such as renewable energy, environmental governance, and climate adaptation. However, he underscored that youth engagement must extend far beyond attendance numbers.

 

"The objective is not simply to have more young people present in climate diplomacy, but to strengthen their capacity to contribute to the substance of the decisions being made."

He urged young climate leaders to approach negotiating processes with preparation, discipline, and evidence-based advocacy—including analyzing negotiating texts, conducting credible research, and building constructive relationships with policymakers. At the same time, he called on governments and institutions to remain open to the proposals and evidence presented by younger generations.

 

As negotiations build momentum ahead of COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, and look forward to COP32 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2027, Dr. Amoah called on RCOY Africa delegates to generate clear, actionable recommendations capable of informing national policy and shaping negotiating strategies.

 

He reaffirmed the AGN's commitment to collaboration, urging global partners and African institutions to ensure youth contributions have meaningful opportunities to inform collective climate action so African communities receive the support needed for long-term resilience.\

by Kofi Adu Domfeh 

African group demands action on climate finance and adaptation ahead of COP 31

Chair of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN), Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah has called on the international community to honor existing climate agreements across finance, adaptation, and development to rebuild trust in the multilateral climate process.

 

Addressing the incoming COP 31 Presidency during virtual informal consultations on October 14, 2026, Dr. Amoah stressed that keeping the 1.5°C goal within reach and accelerating implementation depend directly on providing developing nations with the necessary resources to act.

 

"Developing countries need the means to act, and the multilateral system has to deliver on what it has already agreed," Dr. Amoah stated, outlining the African Group’s key priorities across three central clusters: climate finance, adaptation, and climate and development.

 

Under the climate finance agenda, the AGN Chair urged Parties to move beyond delay and translate previous agreements into operational progress. Specifically, he called on CMA 8 to advance substantive discussions on Article 9.1 under the Climate Finance Work Programme agreed in Belém.

 

"Its provisions are clear, and they cannot keep being put off. Let’s deliver on what we agreed on," Dr. Amoah emphasized.

 

Additionally, the African Group called for a clear signal regarding the replenishment of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), emphasizing that the COP should utilize existing mandates to assess developing countries' financial needs to inform resource mobilization.

 

On the Adaptation Fund, Dr. Amoah noted that negotiation text is ready and urged the COP to mandate the Board to commence transition arrangements so the fund can serve the Paris Agreement using Article 6.4 share of proceeds.

 

Addressing adaptation priorities, Dr. Amoah proposed establishing a technical task force to advance work on adaptation indicators, metadata, and methodologies. Clarifying the scope of this initiative to reassure negotiating partners, he noted that the AGN is not advocating for a permanent administrative body.

 

"Let me reassure Parties that the African Group is not seeking a permanent body. We emphasise the agreement on a two-year process focused on metadata and methodologies," Dr. Amoah noted, expressing confidence that this technical work could be concluded in the first week of negotiations.

 

The AGN Chair further highlighted the urgent need for structured discussions on tripling adaptation finance by 2035 and pursuing the Global Goal on Adaptation in line with Articles 9.1, 10, and 11 of the Paris Agreement.

 

He stressed that defining clear baselines and financing trajectories is essential for multilateral credibility. "This matters for trust in the multilateral system. We cannot simply set aside what we agreed before," he warned.

 

In the cluster on climate and development, Dr. Amoah prioritized the operationalization of the Just Transition Mechanism and the continuation of the Just Transition Work Programme. He advocated for a two-tier institutional architecture encompassing technical and political dimensions, with a clear focus on securing financing modalities that connect UNFCCC processes with external actors.

 

Turning to international trade, Dr. Amoah reaffirmed Africa's active engagement in the Climate Change and Trade Dialogue, insisting that its outcomes must feed into the high-level roundtable expected from the Subsidiary Bodies.

 

"That process must be owned by Parties, not left only to the Chairs," Dr. Amoah insisted.

 

Concluding his intervention, Dr. Amoah expressed the African Group’s readiness to work collaboratively across all delegations.

 

"The African Group stands ready to work with you and all Parties toward a COP 31 that delivers implementation, finance and trust," he concluded.

 

by Kofi Adu Domfeh 

Asantehene to lead environmental restoration effort at Jimi Land Reclamation Site

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, will undertake a royal visit to the Jimi Land Reclamation and River Watercourse Rehabilitation Project near Obuasi on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.

 

During the visit, he will plant trees and inspect Lot 1, marking a major milestone in restoring lands severely degraded by unregulated small-scale mining.

 

The environmental initiative responds to widespread damage caused by unregulated small-scale gold mining, known as galamsey, which has stripped forest vegetation, contaminated soils, and left hazardous open, water-filled pits across the Obuasi and Adansi areas.

 

Toxic runoff and heavy sediment buildup along the Jimi River threaten the Jimi Dam, a critical source of drinking water for communities across the Adanse Traditional Area.

 

The reclamation effort stems from Otumfuo’s advocacy against illegal mining during the Mining in Motion forum, which led to the creation of the Ashanti Green Initiative.

 

Operating as the initiative's flagship pilot project, the Jimi reclamation brings together key institutional partners, including the Manhyia Palace, providing overall strategic vision and royal patronage; Ashanti Green Initiative, serving as project lead on behalf of the Asantehene and drives community engagement; and AngloGold Ashanti, delivering technical and operational support.

 

Others are Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, overseeing policy, permitting, and security enforcement through NAIMOS and the Blue Water Guard; and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), providing regulatory guidance for ecological restoration along the river and buffer zones.

 

Covering 153 hectares across three designated lots in the Obuasi East Municipality as well as the Adansi Akrofuom and Adansi Asokwa Districts, the pilot targets heavily impacted sites near Gyimisokakraba, Ayease, and Akwesi Ankromakrom.

 

Restoration works are structured around a six-step process: Backfilling open mining pits and deep gullies; Re-grading spoil heaps and terracing steep slopes; Containing, capping, or removing heavy-metal soil contamination; Installing drainage and erosion control structures to safeguard the river corridor; Restoring and enriching topsoil health; and replanting the land with kenaf, a commercial fibre crop.

 

Due to residual heavy-metal contamination risks in the soil, kenaf was selected over food crops. The fast-growing fibre crop will be harvested for manufacturing sacks, rope, and eco-composites, establishing a secure income stream for local farmers.

 

Long-term project plans include continuous water testing to protect the Jimi Dam, as well as ongoing tracking of soil, vegetation, biodiversity, and community health outcomes.

 

Organizers intend for the Jimi pilot to serve as a national model to rehabilitate other mining-damaged land and water systems across Ghana.

 

By Kofi Adu Domfeh 

Africa Climate Negotiation: AGN Chair demands delivery over promises ahead of COP31

The Chair of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN), Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, has issued a strong call for global climate talks to move from pledges to tangible action, declaring that COP31 in Antalya must be defined by delivery rather than another cycle of unfulfilled promises.

 

Speaking at the African Group of Negotiators Expert Support (AGNES) Pre-COP31 Strategy Meeting in Nairobi, Dr. Amoah stressed that the global climate process faces a critical test of legitimacy.

 

He warned that the credibility of international negotiations now hinges on a singular question: whether the system can actually deliver implementation on the ground.

 

Highlighting Africa's core priorities across adaptation, agriculture, loss and damage, climate finance, and just transition, the AGN Chair emphasized that the continent's demands are fundamental conditions for sustainable development.

 

"When Africa speaks about adaptation, agriculture, finance, loss and damage, just transition and means of implementation, we are not presenting a list of negotiating preferences," Dr. Amoah asserted. "We are rather talking about the conditions under which our countries can develop, protect their people and build resilient economies in a changing climate."

 

Addressing the financial architecture, Dr. Amoah called for predictable, scalable, grant-based climate finance for adaptation, rejecting any framing of climate support as international charity.

 

"Africa is not asking for charity," he declared. "We are asking for an international financial architecture capable of responding fairly to a global problem for which responsibility and vulnerability are profoundly unequal."

 

He further insisted that the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage must be adequately resourced, responsive, and direct support where it is needed most. "Success cannot be measured by the existence of institutions alone," Dr. Amoah added. "It must ultimately be measured by whether support reaches countries and communities confronting losses they did little to cause."

 

On energy policy and industrial strategy, Dr. Amoah warned against uniform transition frameworks that ignore regional economic realities. He stressed that a just transition for Africa must prioritize energy access, clean cooking, poverty eradication, and green industrialization.

 

"Africa cannot simply export raw materials required for the global transition while importing finished technologies at significantly higher value," Dr. Amoah stated. "The transition must create value in Africa, build industries in Africa, strengthen skills in Africa, and create jobs for Africans. That is part of climate justice too."

 

He also cautioned negotiators to scrutinize emerging global trade policies, insisting that climate measures must not become a new basis for economic protectionism or inequitable economic relationships.

 

Dr. Amoah outlined a strategic continuum connecting major climate milestones—which he framed as "B2A2A" (Belém to Antalya to Addis Ababa). Under this roadmap, outcomes secured at COP31 in Antalya must establish a firm technical and political foundation for COP32, scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2027.

 

He stressed that strong political positioning requires rigorous African technical evidence, praising AGNES for bridging the gap between scientific research and diplomatic negotiations.

 

"At COP31, Africa must not simply be present at the table," Dr. Amoah concluded. "Africa must help shape what comes out of the room."

 

By Kofi Adu Domfeh 

AGN Chair urges action-driven tracking and reporting on inclusive climate adaptation in Ghana’s agriculture

Climate experts, government officials, and agricultural stakeholders have gathered in Accra for a three-day stakeholder engagement workshop focused on strengthening inclusive climate adaptation tracking and reporting within Ghana's agriculture sector.

 

Organized by the Alliance of Biodiversity International and CIAT, the African Group of Negotiators Expert Support (AGNES), and the University of Cape Town, in collaboration with Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the event aims to build capacity and align national reporting mechanisms with global standards.

 

The initiative comes as changing weather patterns, droughts, and rising temperatures continue to pose severe threats to Ghana's rainfed, smallholder-dominated agriculture sector.

 

Delivering the keynote remarks, Chair of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN), Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, emphasized that monitoring adaptation efforts must move beyond procedural paperwork to deliver concrete benefits for vulnerable communities.

 

"This is not only about reporting. It is about ensuring that our adaptation efforts are reaching the people who need them most and delivering results we can see, measure and build upon," Dr. Amoah stated.

 

He highlighted that as Ghana scales up resilience initiatives—such as promoting climate-resilient crops, early warning systems, and expanding irrigation—governments must evaluate the actual difference these projects make in farmers' lives.

 

"As governments, therefore, it is no longer sufficient to demonstrate that adaptation activities are being implemented," Dr. Amoah noted. "We must also be able to show whether those interventions are reducing vulnerability, strengthening resilience and reaching the people and communities that need them most". He added that "as we scale up adaptation action, our focus must increasingly shift from what we are doing to the difference those interventions are making".

 

Embedding Social Equity in Climate Data

 

A central theme of the workshop is integrating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) considerations directly into national reporting templates to reflect the experiences of women, youth, and persons with disabilities. Warning against surface-level metrics, Dr. Amoah cautioned that traditional tracking risks overlooking marginalized groups.

 

"If our monitoring systems do not capture these differences, our reports may show progress while important groups remain behind," he stressed.

 

Reflecting on broader Pan-African priorities and international developments—such as the Belém Adaptation Indicators (BAI) adopted at COP30—the AGN Chair advocated for connecting global decision-making directly to local agricultural realities.

 

"The negotiating room and the farmer's field cannot exist as two separate worlds," Dr. Amoah asserted.

 

He pointed out that "good reporting begins long before the report is written," requiring clear institutional roles, established baselines, and structured data flows from district levels to national bodies.

 

As Ghana prepares its Second Biennial Transparency Report (BTR2) under the UNFCCC Enhanced Transparency Framework following its BTR1 submission in December 2024, the workshop serves as a technical foundation to map data producers, validators, and key indicators across subsectors.

 

Concluding his address, Dr. Amoah encouraged participants to look beyond meeting international reporting cycles to build a permanent, evidence-backed information system that drives climate finance and national policy.

 

"If we get this right, we will strengthen not only our reporting, but also the link between evidence, policy, finance and real action on the ground," he concluded.

 

by Kofi Adu Domfeh