EU Climate Week in Ghana - Tree planting and Beach clean up

The Climate Diplomacy Weeks are organized all over the world by EU Delegations to create awareness on the impact of climate change in the world. They are also meant to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change in the context of sustainable development.

The focus of the week in Ghnaa was on Re-greening Ghana. Activities undertaken included awareness creation in schools on the need to re-green the country, beach clean-up, workshops and round table on re-greening the city and the country in addition to tree planting in the two cities.

Victoria Michaels, Role model for the Climate Diplomacy week

Victorial Michaels with some children after an art workshop

To promote the week, Victoria Michaels, a Ghanaian International model, actress, brand ambassador and philanthropist, was selected as a role model by the EU Delegation, to participate in all the activities and supported the promotion of the week on social media.

The activities had the participation of schools and teachers from Accra, Asokwa and Kumasi, as well as schools from Accra, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), members of EU Embassies in Ghana, particularly, The Netherlands, Czech Republic and France.

Non-Governmental Organisations including EU projects, volunteers and local communities and citizens from Accra and Kumasi, participated in the activities to mark the week. The Deputy Minister for environment and the mayors of both cities participated in the activities

Tree planting and workshops

Tree planting

As part of activities marking this year's Climate Diplomacy Week, the European Union Delegation to Ghana, the EU Member States in Ghana and in collaboration with the Metropolitan Assemblies in Accra and Kuamsi, planted trees in the two cities.

The trees were planted to representing the EU and the 28 Member States in Ghana, and a representative of Ghana. School children were also involved in the tree planting exercise in the cities of Accra and Kumasi. In total, 319 trees were planted during the period.

In all, more than 10,000 students participated in the climate week activities in Accra and Kumasi. 558 students were directly involved in the awareness activities, tree planting activity and workshops. The workshop and roundtable had the participation of 240 participants.

Beach Clean up and Visibility

Beach clean up

This year, the EU joined forces with the Accra Municipal Assembly (AMA), to further raise awareness around the marine litter challenge in all corners of the blue planet.

The beach clean-up attracted 420 volunteers and the waste collected exceeded 4 tons.

The week was a success, and received extensive visibility in the media. Several articles and news were published during and after the week.

The launch of the EU Delegation account on Instagram exceeded initial expectations, recording more than 400 followers in one week. The seed for the need of regreening Ghana was literally planted in the hearts of the beneficiaries and of the public in general

Interest / Volunteers

Volunteers

The organisation of the EU Climate Week in 2019 showed huge interest of communities, citizen's, public and private organisations and the media to the themes of regreening Ghana, sustainable development, protection of environment and waste management in general.

The outcome of the week demonstrated that much still needs to be done to protect the environment and to promote a greener and cleaner country. The participants expressed their appreciation of the need to promote a sustainable development in Ghana and for the European Union to play an active role in greening the country.