A Rocha Ghana calls for conservation of Biodiversity

A Rocha Ghana, a non-governmental organization (NGO) has called for the conservation of biodiversity because it says it plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems and supporting the well-being of all living organisms.

Rocha Ghana made this known in a statement on Monday, May 22, 2023, which marked International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) – for the reiteration of the quest to save the environment.

This year’s is themed; “From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity” which builds up on the results of COP 15 to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

With the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) (agreement) readily made available, the focus must quickly shift to its implementation(action). The GBF contains four visionary goals; (Goals A-D) for 2050 and 23 interim targets for 2030 to preserve and restore nature, protect biodiversity, and prevent extinction of species.

Goal A stipulates that the integrity, connectivity and resilience of all ecosystems should be maintained, enhanced, or restored, substantially increasing the area of natural ecosystems. In order to achieve this, it is expected that human induced extinction of known threatened species is halted.

The Goal B envisages the sustainable use and management of biodiversity and that nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services, are valued, maintained and enhanced, with those currently in decline being restored, supporting the achievement of sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations by 2050.

In Goal C, the monetary and non-monetary benefits from the utilization of genetic resources, and digital sequence information on genetic resources, and of traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, be shared fairly and equitably with indigenous people and local communities. The goal also proposes that traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources is appropriately protected, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

The last Goal—D expects that adequate financial resources, capacity-building, technical and scientific cooperation, and access to and transfer of technology to fully implement the GBF are secured and accessible to all Parties, especially developing countries.

A Rocha Ghana looking at a seven-year target by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) expects that amongst the 23 targets, at least 30% of areas of degraded terrestrial, inland water, coastal, and marine ecosystems are under effective restoration, is saying that though the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has pledged full commitment to protecting and preserving the biodiversity for a healthy planet, contradictory policies and legal frameworks are derailing needed consistent action to secure forests and biodiversity in Ghana.

Legal frameworks such as the ‘Nicodemus’ passing of L12462 which grants mining access to all forest reserves in Ghana. This they say is a “nail in the coffin for our forest and biodiversity in Ghana.