Member of Parliament for Damongo and Global Lead for the Africa Centre for Nature-Based Climate Action (AC4NCA), Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, has called on African governments and development partners to move beyond traditional climate financing approaches and adopt innovative financial mechanisms to scale up nature-based solutions (NbS) across the continent.

Speaking during a high-level panel discussion at the 2026 Scientific Day of Renaissance for Africa, Hon. Jinapor stressed that while Africa possesses enormous natural capital, unlocking its full potential will require significantly greater investment through diversified financing instruments.

The event, held under the auspices of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, was organised in partnership with the Africa Centre for Nature-Based Climate Action (AC4NCA).

It brought together policymakers, researchers, development practitioners, and environmental experts to discuss the role of science, biodiversity conservation, and nature-based climate action in Africa's sustainable development.

During the discussion on Nature-Based Solutions, Hon. Jinapor argued that conventional public financing alone would be insufficient to meet the continent's growing restoration and climate adaptation needs.

"Africa must move beyond relying solely on traditional sources of climate finance. To unlock the full potential of Nature-Based Solutions, we need to explore innovative and diversified financing mechanisms, including carbon markets, blended finance, private sector investment, green bonds, and other sustainable financing instruments capable of mobilising the scale of resources required," he said.

Drawing on Ghana's experience, he highlighted initiatives such as Green Ghana Day, the country's REDD+ programme, forest landscape restoration efforts, and participation in emerging carbon markets as examples of how nature-based solutions can simultaneously restore degraded ecosystems, create green jobs, strengthen livelihoods, and generate new economic opportunities.

Hon. Jinapor noted that Africa's forests, wetlands, mangroves, savannahs, and biodiversity should no longer be viewed solely as environmental assets but as strategic economic resources capable of supporting long-term development.

He further called for stronger policy frameworks that integrate nature-based solutions into national development planning rather than treating them as stand-alone environmental interventions.

According to the lawmaker, governments must establish enabling regulatory environments that encourage investment while safeguarding communities and ecosystems, adding that local populations should remain central to conservation efforts through equitable benefit-sharing and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Beyond financing and policy reforms, Hon. Jinapor emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among governments, academia, civil society, development partners, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and the private sector.

"Scaling up Nature-Based Solutions cannot be achieved by governments alone. It requires stronger cross-sector collaboration among governments, academia, the private sector, civil society, development partners, and local communities. By working together, we can transform promising pilot initiatives into large-scale programmes that protect biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience, create green jobs, and improve livelihoods," he stated.

The discussion also explored how research and scientific innovation can accelerate the implementation of nature-based solutions across Africa. Hon. Jinapor observed that while evidence supporting NbS has become increasingly robust, the continent's priority should now shift from demonstrating their effectiveness to expanding implementation.

"The challenge before us is no longer proving that Nature-Based Solutions work. The evidence is already overwhelming. The challenge is scaling them with speed, integrity, and measurable impact," he remarked.

He urged African governments to integrate nature-based solutions into national climate, agriculture, water, and development strategies, while encouraging research institutions to generate locally relevant evidence to inform policymaking and strengthen monitoring systems.

The former Minister also called on the private sector to move beyond corporate social responsibility and to embrace nature as a long-term investment opportunity that can deliver both financial returns and environmental benefits through sustainable forestry, regenerative agriculture, ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, and carbon market initiatives.

Hon. Jinapor shared the panel with renowned conservation scientist Emerita Prof. Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu and public health expert Prof. John Gyapong, whose contributions highlighted the importance of biodiversity conservation and strengthening African research systems in advancing sustainable development.

The panel discussion was convened to commemorate the 2026 Day of Scientific Renaissance of Africa (DSRA), an African Union-recognised observance dedicated to promoting science, technology, research, and innovation as catalysts for Africa’s sustainable development and socio-economic transformation