How the EP Church in Ghana is Combating Climate Change

As you may know from our previous article, the EP Church in Ghana (the main Presbyterian denomination in the country) has begun work to reduce the effects of climate change. This includes planting two million trees across several areas of the country.

For full details about their current work see this article:
http://www.arcworld.org/news.asp?pageID=460

Here are some photographs of the reforestation project including the nursery where the tree saplings are grown:

Like the rest of Africa, Ghana is already experiencing problems associated with the adverse effects of climate change.

These are obvious in the following areas:

• Poor and erratic rainfall pattern which is very unpredictable and, as a result, has an impact on good agricultural practices.
• Poor yields of agricultural produce, which leads to greater malnutrition and has serious implications for people’s health and ability to learn.
• Mass movement of people from the rural agricultural settlements to the urban centres of the country in search of other job avenues.
• Poor and unacceptable mining practices that are leading to massive land degradation. 
• Former arable lands are gradually being destroyed because of illegal and unacceptable mining methods.
• Deforestation especially through the activities of timber companies and chain saw operators. As a result the forest areas are being turned into savannah regions.
• Changes in the distribution of tree species are, in turn, having an impact on biodiversity.
• Desertification and pollution of rivers and other water sources are greatly harming humans as well as other ecosystems.
• Excessive pollution of the atmosphere by the excessive fumes from imported second hand vehicles and increase in temperature.
• Increased flooding, sea erosion of the coastal belt, rising sea levels, intrusion of seawater into freshwater areas and loss of wetlands.

Climate change has directly and indirectly exacerbated the incidence of poverty. One
notable effect of these occurrences on health is malnutrition caused by crop failure
which resluts in low and poor yields. The economy of the state is therefore greatly
affected.

The EP Church hopes to set up an Eco-Congregation type programme which will link churches, local schools and the wider community.