Civil society Organization working in the area of Climate Change have been advised to build their capacities to enable them access opportunities presented by the Green Climate Fund.
Experts at a meeting to discuss the GCF in Accra recently pointed out that some civil society organizations who presented proposals in order to access the GCF lacked capacity, hence the need for them to up their game as well embrace the culture of partnership to be able to access the GCF.
‘CSOs need to put their expertise together. You need partnership so that you can access some of these available opportunities, ”said Mr Peter Justice Dery, Deputy Director, Climate Change and Sustainable Development At the Ministry of Environment Science Technology and Innovation.
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Mr Dery Chaired the meeting which discussed Civil Society engagement in the National GCF process- Constraints and opportunities, Reflection on Global CSOs involvement: towards GCF effectiveness- the roles of CSOs, among other relevant themes.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a financial mechanism of the Paris Treaty. Developed Countries have committed to support GCF $100 billion per year by 2020. The Board is based in Songdo, South Korea, and is currently administered the World Bank.
The meeting was put together by Care International in Collaboration with KASA- Ghana and supported by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature conservation Building and Nuclear safety on the theme, ‘Sharing and Learning : Towards a more Inclusive GCF National Process’.
In an Address, the Chairwoman of the steering Committee of KASA-Ghana, Mrs Hannah Owusu Koranteng said, Climate Change is a human phenomenon and could be addressed through concerted efforts of all.
Mrs Koranteng indicated that “we are experiencing extreme weather condition which is unparalleled in the history of the world and these are clear signs that we had not exercised responsibility stewardship in the use our natural resources.”
According to her, Africa in particular, needs to be worried about the problems of climate change because the continent is vulnerable under the global economic arrangement where we provide raw materials cheaply to so- called developed world.
She said, Job losses and displacements of rural people constitute part of the natural result of climate change and that, she maintains is of serious concern to civil groups including Trades Union Congress and NGOs whose constituencies are in the rural communities.
She explained that the focus of Africa to access the GCF is to ensure that the CSOs within the region become active participants in building of capacities for productive stakeholder engagement.
She noted, “ Such interventions would also achieve broad civil society perspective in policy direction that can mitigate climate change and also provide initiative for just transition and reduce vulnerability of our people especially those living in rural environment.”
“Building capacities of CSOs for such engagement with duty bearers have the added advantage of a broader societal support for the transformation of our society and increasing the levels of accountability of duty bearers,” she added.
By Mohammed Suleman
