Africa-Press – Ghana. Mr Kofi Iddie Adams, the Minister of Sports and Recreation, has called on sports stakeholders to contribute towards mitigating the effects of climate change on sporting events.
He said this at the Global Sports and Sustainability Forum in South Africa, where stakeholders and experts have converged to discuss ways for a sustainable environment.
The forum, being hosted by Sports 20 in collaboration with Foundations 20 and the Climate Solutions Forum, is aimed at exploring how sports may act as a catalyst for cross-sectoral sustainable development, driving economic change.
Speaking at the forum, Mr Adams stated that sports was both a contributor and victim to climate change issues and steps ought to be taken by all to ensure a safe environment for the organisation of sporting activities.
“Sports, we all know, have been a victim and contributor to climate change. A victim because climate change is affecting the organisations of sporting events and it is affecting sporting infrastructure.
“So, all who love sports including the stakeholders must be interested in the issues of climate change and we cannot stay away from it,” he said.
Mr Adams also acknowledged the power of sports to unite people regardless of their religion, race or political affiliation and that all must contribute to issues regarding climate change.
He also stated that it takes a lot of political will and leadership to institute measures that would help mitigate climate change.
“Policies of Climate Change from the United Nations, ECOWAS, African Union and other platforms must ultimately be integrated into the local policy initiatives and that is where political leadership comes in and that people like me will have to push the agenda of issues of climate change into policy making,” Mr Adams said.
The ongoing Global Sports and Sustainability Forum is expected to generate a position paper for the G20, COP and other leading sports associations.
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