Ghana and Austria Forge Stronger Climate Alliance Under New Minister
Ghana and Austria have reaffirmed their commitment to joint climate action following a high-level meeting between Ambassador Jürgen Heissel of Austria and Mr. Seidu Issifu, Ghana’s newly appointed Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability.
Damian Owusu 
Ghana and Austria have reaffirmed their commitment to joint climate action following a high-level meeting between Ambassador Jürgen Heissel of Austria and Mr. Seidu Issifu, Ghana’s newly appointed Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability. The engagement marks a significant step toward bilateral cooperation in environmental sustainability, renewable energy, and climate finance.
Ambassador Heissel praised President John Dramani Mahama’s appointment of Mr. Issifu as a sign of high-level political will to tackle climate change. Mr. Issifu, in turn, expressed gratitude and outlined an ambitious agenda:
Establishing a Climate Change and Sustainability Hub for research, innovation, and regional collaboration.
Creating Climate Change Units across all ministries, agencies, and district assemblies to mainstream climate action into public sector planning.
Mr. Issifu announced plans to convene a Climate Business Summit aimed at mobilizing private sector investment and innovation. Ambassador Heissel welcomed the initiative and highlighted Austria’s interest in: Institutional exchanges, Academic scholarships and Cultural partnerships to support Ghana’s climate and development goals
The meeting comes amid growing climate threats in Ghana, including:
Tidal waves displacing communities along the Keta Lagoon in the Volta Region
Rising poverty and social vulnerabilities linked to climate-induced displacement
Reports of school-age girls turning to prostitution in affected areas, as revealed by a Ghanaian Times fact-finding mission
Ghana is making strides in meeting its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The partnership with Austria is expected to accelerate progress through knowledge sharing and targeted investments.
