The Global Center for Adaptation (GCA) has discussed how it can help Ghana’s Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) meet its goals of increasing funding for climate adaptation and loss and damage.

During an official visit to Ghana this month, GCA CEO Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen met with Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo to discuss the international partnership of countries most vulnerable to climate change, of which GCA is a managing partner.

Ghana’s top priority is to increase adaptation funding and unlock international loss and damage funding.

Prof. Verkooijen updated President Akufo-Addo on the status of GCA’s flagship Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), a joint initiative led by GCA and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to mobilize $25 billion by 2025 to scale up transformative adaptation actions.

The AAAP will also aid in the mitigation of the effects of Covid-19 and climate change on the African continent.

Prof. Verkooijen visited Ghana last year to launch the “Ghana: Roadmap for Resilient Infrastructure in a Changing Climate.”

As part of the AAAP, GCA collaborated with the University of Oxford, the United Nations Office for Project Services, and the United Nations Environment Programme to develop the national assessment, which was led by Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Environment.

GCA has since completed a climate risk assessment, institutional mapping, gap analysis, and investment prioritization of climate adaptation investments for Accra, Ghana, based on this assessment.

GCA is also working to build capacity in Ghana for adaptation finance planning and decision-making through the AAAP’s Technical Assistance Program; to support the accreditation of new and existing Direct Access Entities; and to develop and submit a paradigm-shifting portfolio of adaptation projects and programs to international climate funds.

President Akufo-Addo was briefed on the Africa Adaptation Summit, which will be held on September 4, 2023, to forge a leadership pathway for Africa to secure its resilient future while advancing key international partnerships for driving ambition in global climate action.

It will bring together global leaders from governments, international organizations, multilateral development banks, the private sector, mayors, civil society, youth leaders, and other stakeholders to increase the continent’s ambition for adaptation action.

The Summit will also provide an opportunity to catalyze new coalitions of partners and initiatives to accelerate action on the ground throughout Africa, thereby maintaining momentum.