The two countries are actively involved in promoting climate sustenance practices with Ghana chairing the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a global partnership of countries that are disproportionately affected by climate change, while Republic of the Marshall Islands convenes the High Ambition Coalition, an alliance of the world’s most climate ambitious nations.

The partnership comes ahead of this year’s COP-27 in Sharm el Sheikhin, Egypt.

The partnership was arrived at following a meeting in Accra between DrKwakuAfriyie, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and John Silk, Minister of Natural Resources and Commerce of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The meeting was to highlight the importance of ambitious outcomes on adaptation, loss and damage, mitigation, and timely finance if the COP is to deliver results, especially for developing and vulnerable communities across the world. 

Additionally, the meeting highlighted the critical importance of adaptation as a national priority for both countries as well as the urgency of the release of accessible climate finance.

The Ministers also discussed the importance of funding to address loss and damage, which is already being incurred in both regions.

Dr Afriyie said although both Ghana and the Republic of the Marshall Islands had no historical responsibility for the climate crisis, the two countries had resolved to provide effective climate leadership.

“It would be unwise of us to say that we are not responsible for the climate problems, and not do anything to help it, since the boat sinks with all of us,” he stated.

Ghana, he said, looks forward to working with the Republic of the Marshall Islands to make progress on the interconnected issues of reducing emissions, adapting to build resilience in the face of the climate crisis, and addressing loss and damage without delay.

DrAfriyie explained that, 2022 could not be the year in which the 1.5C pathway was lost, saying that the impacts of breaching that limit would be devastating for all countries, but particularly for the very vulnerable including small Island States.

“We must also ensure continued environmental protection of both of our unique territories, both the seas that sustain us and the land, which we hold in trust for all of mankind,” he said.

On his part, Mr Silk said, despite the physical distance between the two nations, the Marshall Islands and Ghana share common challenges as the impacts of the climate crisis continued to rise.

“We share a common objective, to work hard together at COP27 and beyond to deliver real results for the people of our countries and regions.

To limit the global temperature, rise to 1.5C and implement the national policies necessary to avoid an overshoot; to put adaptation measures in place and to ensure that loss and damage is effectively addressed,” Mr Silk noted.

Other issues discussed by the Ministers included the decarbonisation of maritime shipping and biodiversity.