The German Embassy in Ghana has concluded its 2026 Climate Talks series in Keta, bringing its community engagement on climate-related security risks to four regions and highlighting how environmental pressures are affecting livelihoods, migration, food security and social cohesion.
The final engagement, held in Keta in the Volta Region on October 14, brought together traditional leaders, government officials, security agencies and other stakeholders to discuss coastal erosion and its impact on human security. Participants examined the need for community-led adaptation, early intervention and sustainable livelihood support for residents facing the loss of homes, land and sources of income.
The series, organised in partnership with Media General, covered Greater Accra, the Northern Region, the Ashanti Region and the Volta Region. The discussions addressed distinct climate-related challenges in each area, reflecting the different ways environmental change can affect communities and security.
The first 2026 engagement was held in Tamale on June 10, focusing on climate-induced conflicts and community resilience in Northern Ghana. Discussions centred on changing rainfall patterns, pressure on land and water resources, and how environmental stress and existing socioeconomic vulnerabilities can heighten tensions between communities.
In Bolgatanga, in the Upper East Region, a dialogue held on August 12 examined climate-driven migration and its effects on livelihoods and security. Participants considered how drought and environmental pressures contribute to human mobility across northern Ghana and the wider Sahel, underscoring the need for cooperation between Ghana and neighbouring countries.
The Kumasi edition, held on September 23, explored the relationship between climate change, environmental pressures and illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey. Discussions also highlighted the importance of cooperation between institutions in addressing environmental challenges whose effects can extend beyond national borders.
The final discussion in Keta focused on coastal erosion and human security. The German Embassy has cited the loss of homes, livelihoods and agricultural land as concerns facing coastal communities, with saltwater intrusion also making farming increasingly difficult. The engagement stressed that coastal protection must be accompanied by community preparedness and support for sustainable livelihoods.
German Ambassador to Ghana Frederik Landshöft underscored how the engagements had demonstrated how climate change can have wider social consequences, including migration, competition over natural resources and unpredictable rainfall that threatens food security, particularly in northern Ghana.
The Ambassador said the effects extended beyond environmental damage to issues of social cohesion, livelihoods and the security of entire communities, requiring responses that bring together local populations, traditional authorities, policymakers and security institutions.
Landshöft stated that the series had opened his eyes to the domino effect of climate change on people’s security, dignity and future opportunities, stressing that its impact varied across communities but shared a common human dimension.
“ For a family in Keta, security means knowing that their home will still be standing tomorrow. For a farmer in Tamale, it means access to land and water. For a refugee family in Zini, it means being welcomed into a community.”
“And for a firefighter in Kumasi, it means having the resources to do their job. Different places, different challenges, but one common concern: the security, dignity and future opportunities of people. Ladies and gentlemen, that is the central lesson I take away from our Climate Talks. Climate change is a human security issue,” he stated.
The Climate Talks 2026 series was held under the theme “Building Climate-Security Resilience in Ghana”. According to the German Embassy, the initiative aims to deepen understanding of climate-related security risks in vulnerable regions, strengthen conflict prevention and community resilience, and improve cooperation between communities and security institutions.
The programme is intended to support informed discussions among security agencies, local authorities, civil society organisations and policymakers, with the broader objective of informing policy responses to climate-related security risks.
Germany’s wider development cooperation in Ghana also includes climate adaptation and mitigation initiatives. Through the German development agency GIZ, Germany supports renewable energy, energy efficiency and local climate action. One ongoing project, Sustainable Energy and Energy Efficiency for Climate Protection II, runs from 2025 to 2028 and works with Ghana’s Ministry of Energy and Green Transition to expand renewable energy, improve grid stability and reduce energy consumption in public buildings and businesses.
Germany has also supported climate adaptation in agriculture. A GIZ project on climate change adaptation of agro-ecosystems in Ghana, implemented from 2012 to 2017 with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, focused on adaptation, biodiversity and gender equality. Other German-backed initiatives have supported climate-risk management and helped farmers adopt practices to cope with droughts and floods.
The Embassy’s Climate Talks therefore form part of a broader engagement on climate action, linking public dialogue and security cooperation with development initiatives aimed at strengthening Ghana’s resilience to environmental change.
Related Posts
