Vice Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako, has called for increased efforts and collaboration aimed at addressing climate change and its effect on food systems.

According to him, the interplay between climate change and food systems has significant implications across all dimensions of sustainable development and therefore requires increased awareness and investment to tackle it.

Speaking at the maiden edition of the Environmental Sustainability Summit 2023 organised by the B&FT newspaper, Prof. Asare-Bediako said governments and stakeholders must develop lasting solutions that tackle the challenges posed by climate change on food systems.

He noted that a sustainable environment can serve as a crucial entry point for advancing the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and extending well beyond the current timeline of the SDGs.

“Climate change poses significant threats to human well-being, including food insecurity, water scarcity, flooding, infectious diseases, extreme heat, economic losses, and displacement. In recent years, the negative impacts of climate change on food systems have become increasingly evident.”

He continued, “Addressing these challenges requires both mitigation and adaptation strategies. Mitigation involves the reduction and removal of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere, while adaptation focuses on adjusting to current and anticipated climate conditions.

This includes measures such as enhancing coastline protection, improving disaster management, implementing sustainable forest and agriculture practices (including agroecology), and developing resilient crop varieties".

Prof. Asare-Bediako added that it has become crucial for all stakeholders to collaborate and comprehend the intricacies of climate change-food systems nexus in order to harness its potential benefits while effectively mitigating the impacts of climate change.

He stressed that failing to take action and delaying efforts to address climate change can have catastrophic consequences for the food and agricultural sectors of our economy.

MA/FNOQ