Season 2, Episode 18: Gideon

Join John Whidden on Climate Action Figures as he discusses climate change with Gideon from Ghana. Learn about local perspectives, global challenges, and the significance of climate advocacy and action, especially for young people. Tune in for inspiring dialogue!

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:32 Quick Fix: Reducing Online Shopping

01:42 Climate Change Awareness in Ghana

04:49 Challenges in Climate Finance

07:20 Reflections on COP 29

15:49 Inspiration and Personal Journey

20:41 Final Thoughts and Hope

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Transcript

Gideon: 0:00

Hi, everyone. This is Gideon from West Africa, Ghana, and you are joined us on Climate Action Figures.

John: 0:15

Well, hello and welcome. You are with us on a new edition of Climate Action Figures. My name, as always, is John Whidden, and this week on the show, you get to meet Gideon. This week's Quick Fix is brought to you by Nami from Canmore, and Nami says, I'd say my quick fix is trying to avoid shopping online just because of the transportation and all the packaging. So even though things like Amazon are super easy and convenient I try to get it locally and not from a big company where it comes in a lot of plastic and has transportation implications. So thanks to Nami for that quick fix.

Gideon: 1:01

Welcome

John: 1:02

Gideon.

Gideon: 1:03

Thank you for having me, John.

John: 1:05

And what do you think about that quick fix?

Gideon: 1:07

I think it's a brilliant idea from Nami. Not only because it's supports climate action and sustainability, but when young people buy into the idea of Nami and, you know, do a lot of shopping for things they can easily get within their localities, they will boost local industries. At the same time, reduce emissions by packaging and transportation so I think it's a good idea. Personally, I also do that. I do not shop online a lot. And so I think it's a good fix, and we should all borrow it from Nami.

John: 1:36

Nami was in Canmore. She's a young woman who's doing some pretty cool things about climate change. Gideon, you are in Ghana. What do people there think about climate change generally?

Gideon: 1:46

So, yeah, in Ghana, climate change is a little bit still abstract because people are used to the warm temperatures, people are used to some of the erratic rain but in the recent year, particularly 2024, there has been a part of climate change is because now we, we see a lot of, um, natural disasters that can be associated to climate change. For instance Last year, there was a heavy rainfall western part of Ghana also in the eastern part of Ghana. And what we saw was, um, there were overfills. So Ghana uses hydro power, um, to generate electricity. So we have a huge dam on the Lake Volta, which is the second largest man made lake in the world. And that dam became full that they had to open the dam. And it displaced thousands of homes and thousands of people. And it affected Local industries like farmers, cattle rearing and also companies that were in those localities. So it's beginning to drum home because then we are beginning to see things that are not normal. As I speak to you, it's 5 p. m. in the evening in Ghana and the temperature is 30 degrees, which is warm. And so it was a very difficult conversation to have five years ago, but given some of the incidents that are occurring in the recent years, people are beginning to pay attention to what climate change is, and now people are beginning to realize it's not an abstract element, but rather a matter of reality, and they live within it.

John: 3:16

So the, the average person in Ghana is starting to really understand that climate change is a thing because the scientists will tell us it is a thing for sure, but whether or not the average citizen believes that is a different story.

Gideon: 3:29

So the average citizen is beginning to know about climate change through some of the work some of us are doing through advocacy creating awareness, and reaching out to young people very early to sort of build their awareness on the topic. So that is one part of the answer to that question, because then there's consciousness by young people who are very passionate about climate change to champion the cause of creating the awareness. So that's one part. The second part is, like I was saying, the events within the last two years is drumming home the evidence of climate change. So we see how, for instance, so in this year we had a very huge surge in inflation when it came to food commodity because of the erratic rainfall last year, earlier this year, because farmers in Ghana predominantly still depend on the rainfall for their farm, and so when the erratic rainfall started last year, it's affected their yields and affected foods that were available on the market for sale and does increase demand for food while there was very little supply increasing inflation for food. And so people are now beginning to believe the evidence. So Ghana knows what climate change is and now believes it's real.

John: 4:44

I'd like to pass along a couple of questions now, Gideon, from several of our audience members. Claire wrote in to ask this. Many organizations are speaking out about the lack of funding, climate, climate finance, and support for developing countries. What do people in wealthier countries need to know, and how do we show solidarity for those in developing countries? What would you say to Claire?

Gideon: 5:10

So I totally agree with Claire. I think During conversations at high level meetings, uh, there seemed to be a more reluctance from wealthier countries and also from institutions and organizations, um, because most often when people give out money, they expect some form of return. it's always difficult for people to throw money into something they think will not yield return. So that's one length of the conversation. Another part is Climate action does not have a geographical area. There are wildfires right now in California. Okay. And the effect of those wildfires on the climate landscape in terms of the carbon emissions is going to be felt all around the world. It's not going to be just in California. So climate change is a global effect and phenomenon, and it transcends barrier. So even if Canada or the US or France or EU is able to build Very resilient systems and economies such that they exist in green world provided they cannot put a glass ceiling around Their world, they will still have the effect of climate change. That will be caused within Africa or within Southern America or within the Middle East or Asia. So there's a need for all of us to identify climate action as a collective responsibility and provide support without necessarily looking for that form of returns as though it's a business investment. The best form of return. Then we get when we invest in climate action is we get a greener, safer world. I think that's the best form of investment. Knowing that a hundred dollar into this project today, we'll make sure that. Farmers in Africa are able to produce enough to take care of themselves so that we do not have to worry about say immigration, right? What your country should think about is you should think about how it prevents some of these adverse effects, which we do not want

John: 7:11

That's a great way to frame it. The big picture, instead of thinking of it in terms of financial investment, thinking of it in terms of human investment. So thanks for sharing that. You were at COP 29, correct?

Gideon: 7:22

Yeah.

John: 7:23

David, another viewer, asked for your thoughts about the COP process itself. He said, most of the analysis I've read is negative. Do you share that negative view?

Gideon: 7:34

I had the privilege of getting trained by the, um, head of party delegation for Ghana and part of training by African group of negotiators. And in my training, one thing I learned was that these processes are very tedious. They can be very slow, sometimes unyielding, but that's the only tool we have let's use the case scenario of a farmer. Okay. So when a farmer goes to the farm, okay. And he has a a large moving equipment that he uses to till his farm. Okay. And that is all he has. That's all he has to use. Right? He has to find a way of using that to till his farm and make sure that he's able to make enough of it to be able to get anything else he wants. And having that mindset in mind for me as a young negotiator, I know that the UNFCCC process is really, really. disappointing for young people because we see the urgency in the problems that we face today, and yet you go to some of these meetings and it looks like it's a slow ball activity and it can be very discouraging for most people. Yes. Largely, I think, this cop has been tagged the disappointment because on all levels of expectations the cop people failed indigenous people, failed young people, failed marginalized and vulnerable communities. It has failed the world in essence because what we saw was a reluctance of the presidency to push for more room for negotiation and also reluctance to commit. the cop in Azerbaijan Baku. It was dubbed the finance cop because we were expecting a new finance mechanism And the hope was that it was going to be ambitious and it was going to be very progressive, but what we saw was very short of that. When you go to Santa with a list, I told Santa Claus that you want, a bicycle. Okay. And you wake up on the eve of Christmas and what you find under your tree is a miniature of a bicycle, right? Which you can only push with your hand on your table. That's going to be very disappointing. Maybe even insulting, I should say. So that was what really happened at COP 29. All the efforts young people are putting in and people like yourself are putting in to advance the cause of climate action. And, and it's, It's really causing us to check our moral guidance and our moral compass. Are we really affected by climate change? Are we really inspired to take action? Because for me, okay. I followed another track, which was just transition and just transition as a young person, my focus was how the just transition working program would incorporate element of young people, right? Making sure that young people who have gone through years of schooling, expected to transit from these fields into newer fields, which are greener and more eco friendly. How would all these people be accounted for in this transition

squadcaster-b28g_2_12-13-2024_173504: 10:30

So, this particular text, right, Just Transition Work Program, was not adopted. No decision was made on that contact group, and means that there's no decision on just transition. And so there is no way young people like myself who are very passionate about just transition can advocate or move our government to inculcate just transition and take actions in, in that state. And that is another reason why it is very disappointing that, we didn't get a lot out of COP 29. And. I totally agree and align with Claire on that.

john--he-him-_2_12-13-2024_103503: 11:05

So Gideon, do you think the COP process is worth continuing or should we abandon it?

squadcaster-b28g_2_12-13-2024_173504: 11:10

So, like I said with the story about a farmer having just one tool, I think when it comes to diplomacy and also having to deal with some of these very, very intricate matters of society, what we do not want to do is give up totally. We do not want to give up totally because then there is no other retort, there is no other recourse, there is no other tool of engagement. I mean, it's already difficult as it is to get certain parties to even engage with you on some of these topics. COP is turning 30 next year. Okay. And so if we, we give up on this process, we would probably have nothing to use in driving discourse. And like I said, climate change is not geographic. It's happening worldwide. What is happening in America is affecting me in Ghana. What's happening in Ghana is affecting someone in Asia. And so if once in a year, we are able to bring, relevant stakeholders under one roof to try and jaw jaw on some of these matters. I think it's a cause that we should continue to pursue. What we can do is find alternative ways of making sure that these processes are useful. These processes are relevant. These processes make the impact we look for. And it has not become a charade of parties just coming all over from the world to come and see a beautiful city and just spend two weeks in lengthy conversations that do not materialize into anything. So for me, as a young person, I really want to stay optimistic. And I really want to stay hopeful with the process and hope that we are able to see something better at Berlin next year and subsequently in other COPs.

john--he-him-_2_12-13-2024_103503: 12:51

One more audience question for you, Gideon. Tina asks, what, if anything, has shifted or changed for you as a result of your attendance at COP 29?

squadcaster-b28g_2_12-13-2024_173504: 13:00

pre COP, I have been involved within the climate space in Ghana. I'm a young activist and an advocate in Ghana I have, I've done projects that have had some impact within the space, but one thing that you realize is that when you go to COP, you get to connect with a lot of people who are also doing similar things in their countries, people who are very passionate about climate change in themselves. I remember I was having a conversation with my YOUNGO team We asked ourselves a check in question if any of us wanted to be climate negotiators and one of my friends said no, and I, I remember I asked why, and she was like, look at what happens in the room, we don't see any progress, nothing good happens, and I'm like, but let's imagine this. If you become a negotiator for your country, I become a negotiator for my country, Tina becomes a negotiator for her country, and we meet at COP two years from now, three years from now, are we not going to make progress? Because then we are more passionate about our future. We are more affected about climate change. We have been in a process very early and we are disappointed in what we are seeing now and we want to change it. And so that's one thing that has shifted for me, making sure that I do not lose hope in these international processes, number one, number two, trying to make sure that I learn a lot and build my skill in negotiating, because one thing is when you go to COP and you have the opportunities to follow the negotiations, you would have to make sure you are taking full advantage of it. You have to make sure you understand what they say when they, they read out the texts, how they are negotiating. For instance, for me, I got to go as a young negotiator and I was understudying the party leads for my country and my group. And I was always invited to make suggestions. My party leads would always say, Hey Gideon, look at this text. Let me know what you think is good. What you think is not good. The second thing is my. My connection with the global community I have friends from India, from Canada, from Europe, from other parts of Asia, South America, Brazil, Mexico, who are all passionate about climate change. And just before this meeting, I was on a YOUNGO meeting with my friends. We were doing a debrief of COP29. And it was rich to see how everyone has gone back home after a very disappointing call. And yet, as young people, we're able to meet again, smile, laugh about the issues, and are already thinking about how we can influence Belem coming next year. And so, um, those are some of the things that have shifted for me because before I was only working within my local space and only, um, Advocating within, uh, my local communities, but now I have identified a broader network that I can collaborate with, a broader purpose that is to continue to skill myself for negotiation, and a broader aim of influencing COP30.

john--he-him-_2_12-13-2024_103503: 15:49

It's clear in our short time here together, Gideon, that you're very passionate about this. Who have been your eco heroes? Who has inspired you in this way?

squadcaster-b28g_2_12-13-2024_173504: 15:59

I don't know if you had this cartoon in Canada. Uh, we had a cartoon, in Ghana called Captain Planet and for a long time, I didn't know it was about the environment and climate change, because we were just as, as young people and we, we always liked it, but then I came to realize, wait, that's, there was a song that really inspired most of us to follow this path of sustainability and environmental awareness and management. And he, and he says that the power is yours. And Captain Planet was cleaning their world of mess. He was making sure evil people were not destroying the earth and all of that. And I think for me, as a young person, such a figure played a, a main role for me to be interested in climate change. Another person that was very instrumental for me is my dad and I, I've always said it growing up in Ghana, you do not normally see people very interested in. Gardening. Okay. Most people would have a garden and will probably have a mini farm, but you will not find most people interested in gardening. And I had a dad who was very interested in gardening. He, he loved his, his flowers and he loved his small farm behind the house and always encouraged us to take care of the garden and the farm if he was out on a trip. And I think that inculcated a little bit of environmental sustainability in me as a young person and, stewardship also as a young person. So having such cartoons, from a very young age and having such a role model in my father I, I was just actively involved in Environmental awareness, and also I had the privilege to go to semi international school where we had foreign tutors who come and teach us every now and then. And they told us about some of the changes in our environment and why we should be very careful about our environment. In Ghana, we have a very famous adage that says, when the last tree dies, the last man dies. And currently in pursuing negotiations the very person that inspires me is the focal person for Ghana, Dr. Antwi-Boasiako, he has been within the space for over 15 years, and he, he works at the Environmental Protection Agency here in Ghana, and he has been very, very inspiring. He has encouraged us young people to pursue this process because Like they always tell us, our environment is not only for us, it's for the whole world. whatever we do to it now affects the entire world. If whatever we do to it now affects the entire world, then it's, it's our responsibility to make sure we protect it also so that the entire world gets to benefit. When we discussed how disappointed we were, we were in the process at COP 29. One thing he said, was it is always good to leave some of these meetings without an agreed text rather than with a weak text. And COP29 gave me two experiences to relate to this because then for the Just Transition Work Program, there was no agreed text. And so there was still room for all of these ideas that we have to enter the text next year. But then we have the NCQG, which was concluded. with a very weak text; a very, non ambitious target. I see really what he said was true. And so I'm really inspired by all of these figures and also my mentors who trained me for Just Transition. Mrs. Angelina Mensah and Dr. Ama Essel.

john--he-him-_2_12-13-2024_103503: 19:20

You have chosen a climate action for us that's slightly smaller than going to COP29. What have you chosen to share with us today

squadcaster-b28g_2_12-13-2024_173504: 19:27

As soon as I got back I had to go for a work trip and we were undertaking what we called an experiment. What we were trying to do was we're trying to inspire researchers, PhD holders, postgrad students and some lead researchers. We're trying to inspire them to incorporate art in translating their research findings to the larger populace. It was an experiment because more often than not, we do not see that a lot in our, area here in Ghana. And it was very successful. We saw artists and researchers. Collaborate and created really beautiful art, really interesting artwork, when you look at some of the artwork then you realize that, oh, That's really amazing. And what we did was all of these research topics were on climate change and effect of climate change within the Ghanaian landscape. And that's one little thing I've done. And I think for everyone listening in on climate action figures, you should always figure out something little to do because it's when you discuss that little project with someone and you take action on it, that you can scale it to a larger community, to even the global landscape.

john--he-him-_2_12-13-2024_103503: 20:39

One final question for you today, Gideon. What gives you hope?

squadcaster-b28g_2_12-13-2024_173504: 20:43

So,(laughter) that's a good question. I normally say these three words when I talk to my friends and they are very disappointed, I tell them, keep hope alive. So when you ask me what gives me hope, maybe I've I've lost sense of what that is. I just know I have to keep hope alive. I just have to keep believing that, in the end, it will all come together for the good of those who commit to their processes and who believe strongly in what they are doing. And if I want to count on just one thing that gives me hope is the fact that whenever I go to bed and I wake up, it's a new day. I have a new sheet, I have a blank sheet, to to start all over, if I have to, I have a blank sheet to continue from where I stopped, if I need to. And my hope is always in the fact that the future is what we make it. And so every day, every time, every moment, I continue to push the barriers. I continue to push the limit. I aim for the glass ceilings. I do not let myself to be discouraged easily. Because in, in this current world, there's a lot of reason for it to be discouraged, for it to be disappointed, for it to be demotivated. for me, I've chosen the path of always staying hopeful believing that provided I have life. There is hope, and if I will commit to what I believe in, there will be nothing to stop me, and if I could borrow the words of, um, some of, some of, some of these athletes, they tell you, um, do not compete against anyone, compete with yourself, you know, compete with you yesterday, be better than you were yesterday, and Sometimes the processes may be very slow, they may not be very rewarding, and I say this for someone who has to travel more than 24 hours to go to Baku, you know, and to come back with nothing so joyous, it's really, sometimes, it asks you whether you should continue on this path or not, but mine My little dose of hope for everyone listening in today is that there is no better time to be more hopeful than now, because trust me, there are a million and a billion of people out there who share in your faith, who share in your belief, who want to see the world change, and if you continue, you will meet and connect with some of these people, and they will be a source of hope as you go on.

john--he-him-_2_12-13-2024_103503: 23:03

Wise words from a young man from West Africa. We thank you so much for joining us today, Gideon. You are a busy guy and you've taken time out of your busy schedule to share these thoughts with us. Thank you so much.

squadcaster-b28g_2_12-13-2024_173504: 23:16

thank you for having me, John.

john--he-him-_2_12-13-2024_103503: 23:18

And thank you, dear listener and or viewer. We will be back again next week to hear from another climate action figure. Until then,

squadcaster-b28g_2_12-13-2024_173504: 23:26

Go Figures!