By Ernest Bako WUBONTO
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has given approval for more than US$120 million in fresh financial support aimed at enhancing climate resilience in Ghana, the Maldives, and Mauritania.
The approval was granted following the request from these three nations and was created by the United Nations (UN) Environment Programme (UNEP) to assist vulnerable communities in preparing for and adjusting to the growing effects of climate change.
The initiatives will be carried out via nature-focused solutions, climate-resistant farming practices, alert systems, and enhanced water security.
Head of Investment - GCF Henry Gonzalez stated that the initiatives represent a significant advancement in allocating adaptation funding where it is most required, especially in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the Sahel area.
"The endorsement of these projects highlights how the GCF is aiding the countries' own initiatives for climate action in Ghana, the Maldives, and Mauritania. These investments will have a beneficial effect on crucial aspects of climate resilience in all three nations," he stated.
The initiatives are anticipated to provide advantages to over 3.5 million individuals in the chosen nations, along with various secondary benefits.
From his side, Martin Krause, the Director of UNEP's Climate Change Division, stated: "These new initiatives demonstrate UNEP's strong dedication to assisting nations at the forefront of climate change. Our emphasis lies in adapting climate solutions to support the most vulnerable countries and communities through customized, locally-driven, and scientifically grounded approaches."
The Ghana Project
It is reported that northern Ghana is experiencing more unpredictable rainfall patterns and extended dry periods, resulting in persistent food shortages, the drying up of water sources, and damage to infrastructure caused by flooding.
Small-scale farmers who depend on rain-fed farming for their survival are particularly at risk. Rising temperatures decrease the soil's ability to hold water, while intense rainfall can lead to dam failures and flooding in lower areas.
As a reply, the new US$70 million initiative - which consists of a US$63 million grant from the GCF - seeks to enhance the resilience of agroecosystems and rural ways of life.
The project aims to assist 120 communities located in eight districts within the North East, Upper East, and Upper West Regions. Initiatives involve enhancing access to climate information and early alerts, facilitating farming during the dry season by implementing water storage methods, and rehabilitating 28,000 hectares of degraded land to boost soil quality, enhance water retention, and lower flood dangers.
Working with implementation partners like the government of Ghana (GoG), through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA), the project is expected to directly assist 619,000 people, with early warning alerts reaching as many as 2.9 million individuals. Approximately 120,000 people will see better food security due to climate-resistant agricultural methods.
Maldives
The Maldives is the country most vulnerable to climate change globally. Made up of 1,192 islands, with almost 80 percent situated below one meter above sea level, the Maldives constantly faces a risk due to increasing ocean levels.
Besides rising ocean levels, the nation is susceptible to increasingly common and intense storm surges, flooding, heatwaves, shoreline degradation, and other risks intensified by global warming.
The most impoverished, marginalized, and isolated communities, along with women and children, are especially vulnerable.
To enhance the nation's capacity to respond to these challenges and minimize exposure to climate change, UNEP, in collaboration with various national and international partners, initiated the project:Building Resilient and Risk-Responsive Communities (TRACT) – Enhancing Climate Services and Impact-Focused Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems in the Maldives.
The $25 million initiative is anticipated to assist over half a million individuals and will be carried out over a five-year period, led by UNEP.
Mauritania
With a US$33 million funding, including a US$30 million GCF grant, the new UNEP initiative aims to restore environments and support living conditions in four at-risk areas: Aoujeft, Rachid, Tamcheket, and Nema.
It will promote eco-friendly infrastructure to stabilize dunes and manage sand movement, increasing water availability for agriculture and boosting land revenues.
Under the leadership of Mauritania's Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the initiative will directly assist 85,000 individuals and enhance resilience for an additional 145,000 people.
It will also safeguard 2,100 hectares of land and aid national efforts towards the Great Green Wall, a collaborative African project aimed at fighting desertification and enhancing climate resistance throughout the continent.
In the delicate region between the Sahara and the Sahel, extended periods of drought, sand intrusion, and lack of water are endangering people's lives and their means of survival. Mauritania has experienced increased movement of dunes, sedimentation of water supplies, and rising strain on social and economic facilities like roads and schools.
Farm production is still very minimal, with the nation importing as much as 85 percent of its food.
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