CLIMATE CHANGE- GLOBAL WARMING - Ghana's inability to prevent increase in her environmental degradation by Samuel Donkor

Scientists and government officials around the world are now reporting, that the Earth's environment is changing in many dramatic and unexpected ways. Global warming, Climate Change, acidification of the Ocean and a growing scarcity of fresh water and the melting of the artiic icebergs are some of the problems being experienced and discussed in the news the world over.

Climate Change is the over all changes in the normal pattern of weather conditions , caused by Global warming, which is giving negative effects to the environment. And Global warming, which is man made is caused by environmental degradation, environmental pollution through the reckless use of natural resources and technological advancement.

Climate change effects are due to an increase in green house gases in the atmosphere. The main gases emitted are Carbon dioxide(co2), Methane and Nitrous oxide. The increase in Co2 is largely due to the burning of harmful Gases, Oil and Gas over the last two Centuries.

Today the Planet Earth is experiencing the serious effect of Climate Change caused by Humanity over the period of two Centuries. From the present weather disasters around the world , no country on this planet is spared. For the last three years, we hear of Tsuname here, Hurricane Cathrina there, Volcanic eruption here, Floods there, Floods everywhere and Heatwave everywhere.This Heatwave has caused vast tract of forest fires across the world.The ice berg in the Artic has also melted and is causing tidal waves of the Oceans, which in turn causes flooding after the least torrential rains anywhere.

God created the world, yet activities of humanity is making it deplorable to live in, hence the need for all governments, Civil society organizations and every human being to protect the environment. We are all part of the problem, therefore we we must all be part of the solution.

No country is spared and for that matter, Ghana is affected in sectors like Agriculture, Water, Natural resources and Human health. It is also revealed that, Ghana lost 90% of her forest between 1990 and 2000, blaming it on activities of Humans against nature. The effects of Climate change include floods, torrential rains, droughts, the high occurence of deforestations and changes and changes in water quality , which affect fresh water supply.

It is therefore the duty of all, Civil Society, government and the like to take serious and drastic measures to create public awareness and educational activities to help mitigate these negative effects.

In Ghana, the environmental problem is serious and needs drastic measures to protect and prevent any serious disaster.The biggest problem facing Ghana's Environment are; Catchment areas degradation, Pollution, Siltation of water bodies and removal of Vegetative cover through human induced activities, which are some of the critical threats to Ghanaian water bodies. Many riparian communities, especially in the cities continue to use rivers and other water bodies as refuse dumps. These water bodies become muddy and choked with polythene bags, solid waste and garbage, serving as breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other water borne diseases. The beaches are also not left out and are scarttered with garbage all over and uncontrolled sand winning activities.

Failure and the inability of the Environmental Ministry and the Assemblies to protect and prevent indiscriminate encroachment very close to rivers and water bodies,by human activities for many years now is the serious consequences the country is experiencing today. The inability of and non-performance of these institutions as far as environmental protection is concern, is the serious deforestation and pollution of rivers and water bodies facing the country, since the first Republic. The result is that, many water bodies have dried up,some on the verge of drying up, and many polluted,the cause being uncontrolled galamsey mining, cutting down of trees for timber and charcoal business and rampart human encroachment across the country. Hence the devastating floodings of the rivers, decrease in Agricultural harvests, and the extensive warming being experienced, all under the climate change crisis.

Friends of rivers and water bodies, an NGO in Ghana needs to be commended for the effective campaign to protect and prevent the country's environment from degradation for the past few years now. The organization has restored the natural environs of Lake Bosomtwe by reaforestation with fruit trees, like coconut, mangoes etc and the whole area under greening, thereby attracting tourism to both local and foreign tourists.The organization is also greening the banks of the subin river in Kumasi.I t also organizes intensive public awareness education on the bad effects of climate change, targeting the chiefs and their people together with the assemblies around the country.

The Environmental Ministry has done very little and has lost control on Ghana's environmental protection. It is very pathetic to hear people calling on Municipal assemblies during demolition of illegal encroachments on water ways, river banks and proposed roads to have human face in their actions. But I write you the truth, the floods and fr that matter, natural disasters, when they occur, have no human face to spare anybody around. Why then should the demolition exercises have human face, when it is these encroachers , who caused the floods and deforestations. Cheap political propaganda and political votes should stop and protect the environment. These politicians and human right activists wanting cheap popularities and favors with the public, should always tell the disasters, when they occur to have human face, for it is them that do more damage than the assemblies.

I t is time our environment is protected and drastic measures taken to mitigate the bad effects of climate change and global warming. Remember that floodings,and disasters have no respect and flexibility for the ignorant. That is the law of Karma, meaning ''what you sow is what you reap''. Gal. 6;7 when the time is rife.

According to scientific and spiritual revelations, we should expect more climate disasters in these two years of 2012 and 2013. The worse is yet to come, hence the need for intensive awareness creation and education to mitigate the effects. People should change their lifestyles, negative attitudes and behaviors towards environment. It is the desirs for personal physical comforts that have led us to ignore the well-being of other humans, of animals, of the forests,of the air and of the waters upon which all lives depend.When we fail to listen to God internally, He acts through natural catastrophes in the external world to waken us up. Thus through nature we must experience retribution, when we become arrogant, greedy or careless.

For example, we enjoy driving cars, living in air- condition homes , working and playing in big cities, supplied with food, electricity, and water, pretending not to notice the pollution we create through these activities.

The world and for that matter humanity, is therefore reaping the consequences of whatever we have sown concerning environmental degradation and pollution during the past two centuries.

The following passage is food for thought; ''As species on this planet, we are growing up, but we will have to improve both our habits and our thinking, if we hope to manage the world properly in coming decades. As long as we deviate from God without listening to him, we will continue to bear the Karmic consequences. But seeing God in nature and acting accordingly, learning and growing in Golden Age, will be full of happiness, said by Supreme Master Ching Hai.

mob; 0242 809352, Samuel Donkor

Yours faithfully, Samuel Donkor.

Contact: +233(242)-809352