By Abbas Nazil
As April 2025 concludes, global reflections on three major environmental observances—World Wetlands Day (February 2), World Water Day (March 22), and Earth Day (April 22)—have underscored a unifying message: the urgent need for ecosystem restoration, climate action, and equitable development.
Each event focused on different elements of environmental sustainability but carried a shared plea for bold and collective global efforts.
Earth Day 2025 called for a global transition to renewable energy by tripling renewable electricity generation by 2030.
Advocates emphasized the urgent need to abandon fossil fuels and embrace sustainable sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, and tidal power.
Environmental justice was at the heart of this year’s campaign, with a strong call to ensure no community is excluded from the green energy transition.
The Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Astrid Schomaker, highlighted the vital role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), whose traditional knowledge and harmonious coexistence with nature are essential for halting biodiversity loss and addressing climate change.
She reiterated that the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework recognizes IPLCs as custodians and partners in conservation efforts.
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On World Water Day, the focus shifted to glaciers, which store nearly 70 percent of Earth’s freshwater. Their accelerated melting due to climate change has led to extreme weather events, disrupted water cycles, and reduced freshwater availability.
The observance served as a wake-up call for countries like Ghana, where climate change and illegal mining are rapidly diminishing freshwater resources.
The national event in Accra emphasized the theme “Water Conservation: Let’s Make It Our Way of Life,” with officials urging citizens to safeguard water bodies.
Ghana Water Company and Water Resources Commission leaders expressed concern over the country’s declining per capita water availability, which now falls below the minimum global threshold.
World Wetlands Day, meanwhile, spotlighted the degradation of wetlands, which are disappearing three times faster than forests. These ecosystems are crucial for biodiversity, climate mitigation, and water regulation.
In Ghana, communities celebrated the day with mangrove planting at the Songor Lagoon Ramsar Site.
Officials stressed collective responsibility to restore and protect these ecosystems for future generations.
Together, the trio of observances illustrated the pressing environmental challenges faced by Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa, from water scarcity and energy inequality to ecosystem degradation.
They highlight the need for integrated policies, strengthened environmental governance, and inclusive development that empowers communities and ensures climate resilience.
