Accra, Oct. 14, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on Wednesday waged a crusade for the prevention of global warming and its related phenomenon of climate change.

He said climate change served as a threat to the world as a result of imbalances being created in the atmosphere due to emissions of excess gases with the earth warming up at a faster rate. The Vice President said this in a speech read for him by the Minister of Environment Science and Technology, Ms. Sherry Ayitey, at the launch of the 40th World Standards Day in Accra.

The day organised by Ghana Standards Board (GSB), under the theme: "Tackling Climate Change Through Standards", is celebrated on October 14 annually by members of the International Organisation for Standardisation, International Electro-Technical Commission and International Telecommunication Union.

It is to pay tribute to the collaborative efforts of experts worldwide who developed voluntary agreements published as international standards. The Vice President noted that the rapidity with which the earth kept warming up was so frightening that countries should act without delay. "Since the consequences of an overheated world would be unpleasant for any life on this earth, the time has come to confront the problem in the right way and with the right approach," he added.

Mr. Mahama stressed the need for Ghana to increase her reliance on renewable energy sources such as wind and the sun and encouraged the people to make use of efficient appliances and conserve energy. Mr. Adu Gyamfi Darkwa, Executive Director of GSB, said standardisation activities related to life included climate change, hence, the need to create awareness and promote the importance of standards in sustaining development.

"The effect of climate change and its devastating consequence on man cannot be overlooked. We need to be concerned about climate change because the life of every person depends on it," he added. Ms. Hannah Tetteh, Minister of Trade and Industry in a message read for her, said international standards offered policy makers, industry and users of the common tools they needed to work to tackle climate change. She reiterated the need for stakeholders to collaborate and institute measures to address climate change. 14 Oct. 09