Ghana’s battle against climate change is increasingly being shaped by the energy, creativity, and leadership of its youth, who are emerging as critical drivers of innovative solutions to pressing environmental challenges.
At the forefront of this movement is the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), which has launched Climate Change Action Now (CCAN) — a dynamic climate advocacy initiative aimed at empowering young people across Ghana to lead the charge in climate resilience.
Unveiled during this year’s World Environment Day celebrations themed “Youth Powering Ghana’s Climate Resilience,” the CCAN initiative seeks to spotlight youth-led climate innovations, foster dialogue among stakeholders, and catalyse community action including nationwide tree planting and advocacy marches.
Professor Benjamin Kofi Nyarko of the University of Cape Coast underscored the imperative to nurture climate literacy within tertiary education systems, ensuring young leaders are equipped with the expertise to confront future environmental crises.
“Resilience is about more than recovery; it’s about transformation and progress,” Prof. Nyarko remarked. He further called on the government to back youth innovators with micro-grants and policy support, emphasizing that “youth must be a central part of climate strategies—not an afterthought.”
Climate change’s harsh realities—including erratic weather patterns, droughts, and flooding—pose serious threats to Ghana’s economy, food security, and public health, disproportionately affecting rural and youth populations.
In this context, Prof. Wilson Agyare from KNUST highlighted the urgent need to address climate extremism and its role in exacerbating food insecurity, while stressing the protection of vital ecosystems such as wetlands.
WASCAL’s commitment to youth empowerment was echoed by Executive Director Prof. Emmanuel W. Ramde, who revealed that the organisation has trained over 500 postgraduate students in interdisciplinary climate fields, linking climate science with entrepreneurship to tackle youth unemployment.
“We are helping to shape a new generation of climate entrepreneurs who will not only innovate but also commercialise solutions that benefit communities and the environment,” Prof. Ramde stated.
Adding a personal voice to the advocacy, celebrated musician and environmental champion Okyeame Kwame shared how he has adopted lifestyle changes, including giving up meat, to reduce his carbon footprint.
The CCAN initiative plans to mobilise more than 10,000 Ghanaians via both digital campaigns and grassroots activities, creating a platform for sustained collaboration between government, academia, and civil society.
As a tangible demonstration of their commitment, WASCAL and partners marked World Environment Day with a tree-planting exercise, reinforcing the message that every action counts in building a resilient and sustainable Ghana.
