On 18 June 2025, the UNESCO Chief of Disaster Risk Reduction, Soichiro Yasukawa, hosted the visit of three Parliamentarians from Ghana: Mr Kofi Don-Agor, Mr  Mohammed Sherif Abdul-Khaliq, and Mr Atta Issal. The meeting served to share the work UNESCO and ALBATROSS are doing in Ghana to address climate change.

Some key takeaways from this meeting and discussion are:

  • There is noticeably greater political attention to climate issues now compared to just a few years ago.
  • Political momentum has led to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Authority and increased support for research-based solutions.
  • Still, there is a need to strengthen scientific understanding of climate change among Parliamentarians to inform policy decisions.
  • With agriculture as a cornerstone of Ghana’s economy, farmers are facing growing uncertainty, especially around rainfall patterns, droughts, and floods. Many can no longer predict the start of the rainy season.

Soichiro shared with the parliamentarians the ALBATROSS work in the two hubs in Ghana: Kumasi Hub -coordinated by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kumasi (Knust), and Keta Basin Hub -coordinated by the University of Ghana, as well as the work UNESCO is carrying out in the country. This included a flood early warning system using satellite data to address data scarcity; nature-based solutions that integrate and scientifically assess traditional knowledge; and the commitment to supporting building capacity on climate change for policymakers, scientists, and communities.