Ghana’s Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, Mr Seidu Issifu, has warned that fossil fuel extraction continues to be the leading source of global greenhouse gas emissions, undermining international efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
He said that despite decades of global climate negotiations, fossil fuel production plans remain largely inconsistent with scientific targets, exposing significant governance gaps within the global climate framework.
Mr Issifu was speaking at a High-Level Dialogue on the Global Just Transition and the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative held in Accra.
The dialogue sought to assess Ghana’s energy transition pathways, explore enhanced international cooperation under initiatives such as the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and strengthen African-led perspectives ahead of major global climate engagements.
The Minister noted that while the Paris Agreement provides guidance on emissions reduction, there is currently no comprehensive global framework to manage a fair, orderly and well-financed phase-out of fossil fuels.
He stressed that the impacts of climate change were no longer distant risks but present realities, particularly for vulnerable countries such as Ghana.
According to him, rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, worsening floods and accelerating coastal erosion were already disrupting agriculture, threatening livelihoods and placing growing pressure on public finances and social stability.
Mr Issifu said Ghana’s decision to convene the dialogue reflected its commitment to climate ambition anchored in equity and justice.
“Under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, Ghana has elevated climate action to the highest level of governance through the establishment of the Office,” he said, adding that the reform ensured climate considerations were embedded in national decision-making and economic transformation efforts.
He emphasised that Africa’s development priorities, including energy access, job creation, fiscal resilience and debt sustainability must remain central to any global just-transition framework.
The Minister further stressed that access to fair climate finance and debt justice was critical to achieving a just transition, noting that many African countries, including Ghana, currently spend more on debt servicing than on health, education or climate action.
Mr Issifu described the proposed Fossil Fuel Treaty as a framework capable of unlocking finance, supporting debt relief and ensuring a predictable transition aligned with the 1.5-degree target.
He called on more African countries to actively participate in shaping future global energy governance, cautioning that Africa must not be a passive recipient of externally designed climate solutions.
Also speaking at the event, the President of the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, Mr Kumi Naidoo, urged African countries to take a proactive role in global efforts to transition away from fossil fuels, warning that the continent was bearing the brunt of a climate crisis it did not create amid rising debt levels and limited fiscal space.
He said Africa continued to experience severe climate impacts while grappling with heavy debt burdens that constrained investment in renewable energy and climate adaptation.
Mr Naidoo noted that despite decades of fossil fuel extraction, about 600 million Africans still lacked access to electricity, making Africa the world’s largest energy-poverty hotspot.
He pointed out, however, that Africa possessed nearly 40 percent of the world’s renewable energy potential, offering a significant opportunity for a clean and electrified future if supported by appropriate policies and international cooperation.
Mr Naidoo commended Ghana’s leadership in climate governance and diplomacy but stressed that no country or continent could manage the energy transition alone.
He said the proposed Fossil Fuel Treaty offered a practical pathway for a managed and equitable global transition, including mechanisms for just-transition finance, technology transfer, debt relief and fairer economic rules.
According to him, the initiative had already received backing from 18 countries, including fossil fuel-producing nations such as Colombia, and he encouraged African countries to join the process to ensure the continent’s development priorities shape future global energy decisions.
